Notre Dame dominated Washington on Saturday. The Huskies kept it close for a while, but they just made too many mistakes to hang with the Irish, and Darius Walker, Brady Quinn, and Jeff Samardzija put on a show in the second half.
Quinn looked very sharp, and Walker got 128 yards rushing, but the big performance of the day was Samadrzija's. He made some huge catches and came up with 164 receiving yards.
The Irish look like they have some of the best receivers/tight ends in the country with Samardzija and Fasano. They also have one of the best running games.
The only missing is pass defense, and it was really missing again on Saturday. Notre Dame shut down Washington's running game except for a couple of big runs late in the game. But the Huskies' QB Stanback threw for 353 yards. This has to be a big concern with USC coming to town in 3 weeks.
If the Irish can take care of business against Washington State, it will set up a huge showdown with the Trojans. No matter what else happens this season, a win over USC would be would show that Notre Dame is all the way back and ready to compete for the national title.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Gophers 42, Boilermakers 35
Lawrence Maroney is in the Heisman chase and got a big leg up Saturday with 217 rushing yards. The gophers defense came up big for most of the game and played with a lot of heart.
Minnesota held a 20-14 lead late in the game, but then gave up 14 points in 2 minutes, including an interception return for a TD by the Purdue defense. But the Gophers never gave up. They came up with a huge drive when they needed it to send the game to OT, where they won in 2OT.
The Gophers are now a real threat to take one of the top spots in the Big Ten. With this running game and a good defense that improves each week, the Gophers are capable of beating anyone.
Now comes the real test. The Gophers go on the road against Penn State and Michigan.
Minnesota held a 20-14 lead late in the game, but then gave up 14 points in 2 minutes, including an interception return for a TD by the Purdue defense. But the Gophers never gave up. They came up with a huge drive when they needed it to send the game to OT, where they won in 2OT.
The Gophers are now a real threat to take one of the top spots in the Big Ten. With this running game and a good defense that improves each week, the Gophers are capable of beating anyone.
Now comes the real test. The Gophers go on the road against Penn State and Michigan.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Rita Adds to Texans' Problems
The Houston Texans were already having a bad start to the season. Now, here comes Rita. The players and coaches have been told to evacuate.
The one bright spot for Houston is that it is their bye week. Hopefully, Rita will not do the damage Katrina did.
The one bright spot for Houston is that it is their bye week. Hopefully, Rita will not do the damage Katrina did.
Week 3 Previews and Picks
This is where the better teams should start to show. This is also the week that may determine the futures of a few NFL coaches, as 0-3 probably means no playoffs and, probably no winning season.
Best Games to Watch
1. New England at Pittsburgh - The Steelers want revenge, the Patriots want to rebound. Pittsburgh has the ground game and defense to pull this off. The Patriots have not been running as well as usual and special teams don't look good. But, it has been a long time since the Pats have lost 2 straight. This could be an epic.
2. Jacksonville at NY Jets - Pennington is being called weak-armed and the Jets have under-achieved. The Jags have a great defense, but could be without Leftwich. Could turn into a great defensive struggle.
3. Kansas City at Denver - This will be a great MNF game! The Chiefs have found some defense, but the offense appears sluggish. The Broncos' defense came out last week against the Chargers and shut them down in the 2nd half. Denver MUST fix its red-zone problems.
4. Carolina at Miami - This could be another big defensive struggle. The Panthers looked like Super Bowl contenders last week and the Dolphins look like a team that will be in every game until the end this year. Whoever gets the running game going will have the edge here.
Best Fantasy Games (Highest Scoring)
Cleveland at Indianapolis - The Colts have faced two straight great defenses and they're ready to bust out. This one should be high-scoring, but a bit one-sided. Manning, Harrison, and Edge should all be big in this one. Indy's defense could also turn some big plays with the Browns down big.
Oakland at Philadelphia - Philly showed they can put up points last week, and the Raiders won't be able to stop them. This could turn into a track meet or a blowout. McNabb, Westbrook, and Owens should all do well. Collins and Moss should do well, but Oakland's running game will not do well.
Tennessee at St Louis - Another high-scoring but one-sided game. The Rams should explode at home against a bad defense. Look for Bulger, Bruce, Holt, and Steven Jackson to have big games. McNair could put up numbers here, too, since he will be trying to catch up.
Other Fantasy players to watch:
Up:
Stephen Davis is back, Vikes' TE Wiggins could have big day, the Cadillac should have a big day, Shaun Alexander should do well, Julius Jones will bust out at SF, Brees and Tomlinson will have big games.
Down:
Vick will NOT do well in Buffalo, Dolphins offense, Carson Palmer and Bengals will struggle in Chicago, Eli Manning and Co will struggle against the fired up Chargers defense.
My Picks (13-13)
Had a better week last week to get back to .500. But I should be doing better. The Vikings are killing me! And what happened in Dallas!?
Atlanta at Buffalo - Vick is either out or playing hurt. Buffalo wins a close one.
Carolina at Miami - Low scoring, Panthers win.
Dallas at San Francisco - Dallas wins big.
Cleveland at Indianapolis - Colts in a blowout.
Oakland at Philadelphia - Eagles, easily.
New England at Pittsburgh - I hate going against the Pats, but I'll take the Steelers.
NY Giants at San Diego - Chargers.
Arizona at Seattle - Cards in a mild upset.
Tennessee at St Louis - Rams big.
Tampa Bay at Green Bay - Bucs win easily.
Kansas City at Denver - Exciting game, Denver wins.
Upsets of the Week (2-3)
2-3 is not bad when picking upsets, but I should know the Vikings better by now.
Cincinnati at Chicago - The Bengals played sloppy last week and are a tad overconfident. The Bears have a great defense. Chicago wins at home.
New Orleans at Minnesota - I have no confidence in the Vikes' coaching staff. Benching Bennett was a big mistake. The Saints play well on the road. New Orleans wins.
Jacksonville at NY Jets - The Jags' defense will make the difference. If Leftwich plays well, the Jags should win.
Best Games to Watch
1. New England at Pittsburgh - The Steelers want revenge, the Patriots want to rebound. Pittsburgh has the ground game and defense to pull this off. The Patriots have not been running as well as usual and special teams don't look good. But, it has been a long time since the Pats have lost 2 straight. This could be an epic.
2. Jacksonville at NY Jets - Pennington is being called weak-armed and the Jets have under-achieved. The Jags have a great defense, but could be without Leftwich. Could turn into a great defensive struggle.
3. Kansas City at Denver - This will be a great MNF game! The Chiefs have found some defense, but the offense appears sluggish. The Broncos' defense came out last week against the Chargers and shut them down in the 2nd half. Denver MUST fix its red-zone problems.
4. Carolina at Miami - This could be another big defensive struggle. The Panthers looked like Super Bowl contenders last week and the Dolphins look like a team that will be in every game until the end this year. Whoever gets the running game going will have the edge here.
Best Fantasy Games (Highest Scoring)
Cleveland at Indianapolis - The Colts have faced two straight great defenses and they're ready to bust out. This one should be high-scoring, but a bit one-sided. Manning, Harrison, and Edge should all be big in this one. Indy's defense could also turn some big plays with the Browns down big.
Oakland at Philadelphia - Philly showed they can put up points last week, and the Raiders won't be able to stop them. This could turn into a track meet or a blowout. McNabb, Westbrook, and Owens should all do well. Collins and Moss should do well, but Oakland's running game will not do well.
Tennessee at St Louis - Another high-scoring but one-sided game. The Rams should explode at home against a bad defense. Look for Bulger, Bruce, Holt, and Steven Jackson to have big games. McNair could put up numbers here, too, since he will be trying to catch up.
Other Fantasy players to watch:
Up:
Stephen Davis is back, Vikes' TE Wiggins could have big day, the Cadillac should have a big day, Shaun Alexander should do well, Julius Jones will bust out at SF, Brees and Tomlinson will have big games.
Down:
Vick will NOT do well in Buffalo, Dolphins offense, Carson Palmer and Bengals will struggle in Chicago, Eli Manning and Co will struggle against the fired up Chargers defense.
My Picks (13-13)
Had a better week last week to get back to .500. But I should be doing better. The Vikings are killing me! And what happened in Dallas!?
Atlanta at Buffalo - Vick is either out or playing hurt. Buffalo wins a close one.
Carolina at Miami - Low scoring, Panthers win.
Dallas at San Francisco - Dallas wins big.
Cleveland at Indianapolis - Colts in a blowout.
Oakland at Philadelphia - Eagles, easily.
New England at Pittsburgh - I hate going against the Pats, but I'll take the Steelers.
NY Giants at San Diego - Chargers.
Arizona at Seattle - Cards in a mild upset.
Tennessee at St Louis - Rams big.
Tampa Bay at Green Bay - Bucs win easily.
Kansas City at Denver - Exciting game, Denver wins.
Upsets of the Week (2-3)
2-3 is not bad when picking upsets, but I should know the Vikings better by now.
Cincinnati at Chicago - The Bengals played sloppy last week and are a tad overconfident. The Bears have a great defense. Chicago wins at home.
New Orleans at Minnesota - I have no confidence in the Vikes' coaching staff. Benching Bennett was a big mistake. The Saints play well on the road. New Orleans wins.
Jacksonville at NY Jets - The Jags' defense will make the difference. If Leftwich plays well, the Jags should win.
Dumbass of the Week: Part 2
This wasn't too obvious this week. I knew if I tried to make this a weekly thing there would be weeks where not many stupid people would be displayed. But leave it to the my own Broncos and Vikings, and a few intellectually-challenged fans to rise (or sink?) to the occasion.
The Dumbass of the Week runner-up this week is the group of fans in Dallas who brought a giant D and a fence to the MNF game to cheer on the D-Fence. But, when they got their big chance on national TV, they help it up so that they could read it. Which was backward on TV. Brilliant!
The Dumbass of the Week 2nd runner-up is every Denver Broncos player who ran onto the field DURING a punt return TD, causing a penalty for too many players on the field and wiping out the TD. Way to go guys!
The Dumbass of the Week this week is Steve Loney, offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. At the beginning of the game against the Bengals, RB Michael Bennett reeled off a couple of big runs. But then took some hard hits and coughed up the ball twice. Loney, rather than trusting the 5-year vet to correct his mistakes and play even harder decided to bench Bennett.
Yes, he benched a player with 36 yards on 3 carries. A player with no history of fumbling, just a couple bad carries. On a team ranked 2nd to dead last in rushing offense in a disastrous season, Loney benched the player with a 12 yards per carry average. The Vikings gained only 41 yards the rest of the game and completely abandoned the running game, allowing the Bengals to come at Culpepper with everything they had and resulting in a 37-8 loss.
Here is Loney had to say about it:
What!? You don't keep putting the ball on the tee?!?! How will you fix what's wrong? What Loney has done is create tension with Bennett, and fear among all players that a mistake can get you benched, rather than showing he has confidence in his veteran players.
The Dumbass of the Week runner-up this week is the group of fans in Dallas who brought a giant D and a fence to the MNF game to cheer on the D-Fence. But, when they got their big chance on national TV, they help it up so that they could read it. Which was backward on TV. Brilliant!
The Dumbass of the Week 2nd runner-up is every Denver Broncos player who ran onto the field DURING a punt return TD, causing a penalty for too many players on the field and wiping out the TD. Way to go guys!
The Dumbass of the Week this week is Steve Loney, offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. At the beginning of the game against the Bengals, RB Michael Bennett reeled off a couple of big runs. But then took some hard hits and coughed up the ball twice. Loney, rather than trusting the 5-year vet to correct his mistakes and play even harder decided to bench Bennett.
Yes, he benched a player with 36 yards on 3 carries. A player with no history of fumbling, just a couple bad carries. On a team ranked 2nd to dead last in rushing offense in a disastrous season, Loney benched the player with a 12 yards per carry average. The Vikings gained only 41 yards the rest of the game and completely abandoned the running game, allowing the Bengals to come at Culpepper with everything they had and resulting in a 37-8 loss.
Here is Loney had to say about it:
Offensive coordinator Steve Loney said he considers Bennett's fumbles a troubling sign.
"It's kind of like someone gets the shanks when they're kicking, or when you're hitting the driver in golf," Loney said. "You get the shanks, and you can't get out of it for a while, so don't keep putting (the ball) back on the tee."
What!? You don't keep putting the ball on the tee?!?! How will you fix what's wrong? What Loney has done is create tension with Bennett, and fear among all players that a mistake can get you benched, rather than showing he has confidence in his veteran players.
Irish Should Get Back On Track at Washington
After a very exciting, close loss to Michigan St, the Irish are heading to Washington this week to take on their former head coach and the Huskies. I was surprised to find out this week that the Irish have never played against a former head coach who wasn't an interim coach.
The Irish are still ranked in the top 20, and have an outside shot at a BCS bowl. In the past, we always had to worry that they would look past certain teams with a nationally ranked opponent coming up the following week. They play the 10/11 ranked Boilermakers on the road next week. But that is not as big a concern with Weis at the helm.
I predicted a big win last week and that didn't pan out. But I am undaunted and predicting a big win again this week. Washington's program is rebuilding and they are not ready to compete with ranked opponents. Tyrone Willingham will definitely have them fired up to play, and the Huskies will keep it close in the first half, but I think the Irish will pull away in the second half for a 41-17 win.
By the way, it is the 75th anniversary of Notre Dame Stadium. Here's some trivia from the Notre Dame Official Website:
The Irish are still ranked in the top 20, and have an outside shot at a BCS bowl. In the past, we always had to worry that they would look past certain teams with a nationally ranked opponent coming up the following week. They play the 10/11 ranked Boilermakers on the road next week. But that is not as big a concern with Weis at the helm.
I predicted a big win last week and that didn't pan out. But I am undaunted and predicting a big win again this week. Washington's program is rebuilding and they are not ready to compete with ranked opponents. Tyrone Willingham will definitely have them fired up to play, and the Huskies will keep it close in the first half, but I think the Irish will pull away in the second half for a 41-17 win.
By the way, it is the 75th anniversary of Notre Dame Stadium. Here's some trivia from the Notre Dame Official Website:
The 2005 football season marks the 75th anniversary of the opening of fabled Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish have played 380 games in that facility to date and own a 287-88-5 (.762) record in the "House that Rockne Built."
The Irish were 3-3 in Notre Dame Stadium in `04, running their home record to 91-29 (.758) over the last 20 years.
The most wins in a season by the Irish at home is seven by the `88 national championship team and the longest home winning streak in Notre Dame football history is 28 games (from 11/21/42 through 9/30/50).
In `55, the Stadium's 25th anniversary, Notre Dame went 8-2 on the season for coach Terry Brennan, including a 4-0 home record; the Irish turned in a 9-2-1 overall record and a 5-0 home mark to commemorate Notre Dame Stadium's 50th anniversary in `80.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Random Thoughts For Week 2
It's time to get rid of the throwbacks. There is a reason those old jerseys were discarded. They're ugly! Teams are diminishing their identities with those things.
Note to Dallas fans: If you bring a giant D and a picket fence to the game, hold them up in the right order and with the D facing the right way. Don't hold them so you can read them, hold them for the cameras to read. Boneheads!
If the Redskins act like that going 2-0, watch out DC if they actually win a playoff game!
The big problem with firing a coach in mid-season is the lack of quality replacements being available. That fact alone might keep Tice and Co. employed a few weeks longer.
What a dilemma the Buffalo Bills had last year. We now see that Losman is probably not the answer, and we were reminded why Bledsoe was so expendable on Monday night. Drew had chances to keep his offense on the field, but couldn't pull it off.
How many ways can the Broncos find to have touchdowns nullified? They lost one TD last week because players on the sidelines ran onto the field to celebrate a punt return TD. Then they were called for too many players on the field.
The Colts don't face a quality defense again till week 8, against New England. Manning might finally put some points up.
After watching the Sunday and Monday night games, I miss Howard Cosell more than ever. Isn't there somebody else ESPN can find to sit in the booths? Maybe a professional broadcaster?
Note to Dallas fans: If you bring a giant D and a picket fence to the game, hold them up in the right order and with the D facing the right way. Don't hold them so you can read them, hold them for the cameras to read. Boneheads!
If the Redskins act like that going 2-0, watch out DC if they actually win a playoff game!
The big problem with firing a coach in mid-season is the lack of quality replacements being available. That fact alone might keep Tice and Co. employed a few weeks longer.
What a dilemma the Buffalo Bills had last year. We now see that Losman is probably not the answer, and we were reminded why Bledsoe was so expendable on Monday night. Drew had chances to keep his offense on the field, but couldn't pull it off.
How many ways can the Broncos find to have touchdowns nullified? They lost one TD last week because players on the sidelines ran onto the field to celebrate a punt return TD. Then they were called for too many players on the field.
The Colts don't face a quality defense again till week 8, against New England. Manning might finally put some points up.
After watching the Sunday and Monday night games, I miss Howard Cosell more than ever. Isn't there somebody else ESPN can find to sit in the booths? Maybe a professional broadcaster?
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Wilf Delivers OKOD to Vikings' Tice
How many times have we seen owners back their coaching staffs, only to fire them 1-2 weeks later? Zygi Wilf delivered the Owner's Kiss of Death on Tuesday by declaring that Tice's job is not in jeopardy.
I think everyone on the planet knows better than that. If you go to the deepest jungle of South America and ask local tribesman Higjtkket Blumph if Tice is safe, he would reply "Tice? Hell no! He's a goner!"
Of course, Tice could still turn this around. And, to be fair, two weeks is just not enough to make the final judgment. But another week or two of this kind of offensive performance (that can be read two ways, and they're both correct), and Tice will seal his fate. On the other hand, if the Vikings play up to their talent level and reel off a couple of W's, Tice could escape the pink slip again.
There are many problems for the Vikes. Losing Randy Moss is a tiny part of that. Moss went to the Raiders and people out there made their Super Bowl reservations. They are now 0-2, same as the Vikings, and headed nowhere. So don't tell me losing Moss is the cause of this debacle.
The cause is losing Matt Birk, and replacing OC Linehan with Steve Loney. Loney had little resume for this role, and only the cheap, bottom-line mentality of Red McCombs and Mike Tice allowed him to move into that role.
Loney did not exactly make the right call in benching Michael Bennett after his 2 fumbles in Cincy. Bennett is a veteran player that knows when he makes a mistake. The right call was to let him back in immediately and give him a couple more carries. Taking out the RB who had your only positive yards in the game at that point was a horrible decision. And I doubt it won over any of the offensive players.
Many people are also pointing out the defensive deficiencies. But, when you have this many new faces on defense, it is going to take time to gel. And if you leave that defense on the field for almost 40 minutes, they are going to get tired and give up some scores.
The schedule doesn't get any easier for Minnesota. The Saints come to town with the league's best road record, then the Vikes travel to Atlanta and Chicago with a bye in between. If they come out of this 0-5, a very real possibility, Tice is gone, no matter what.
The most disappointing thing about the bad start is the complete lack of mental toughness the Vikings are displaying. And that is the responsibility of the coaching staff.
So Tice has about 3 weeks to turn things around. If the Vikes win 2 of the next 3, Tice will probably survive the season. If it's 0-5, Tice's fate is sealed.
I think everyone on the planet knows better than that. If you go to the deepest jungle of South America and ask local tribesman Higjtkket Blumph if Tice is safe, he would reply "Tice? Hell no! He's a goner!"
Of course, Tice could still turn this around. And, to be fair, two weeks is just not enough to make the final judgment. But another week or two of this kind of offensive performance (that can be read two ways, and they're both correct), and Tice will seal his fate. On the other hand, if the Vikings play up to their talent level and reel off a couple of W's, Tice could escape the pink slip again.
There are many problems for the Vikes. Losing Randy Moss is a tiny part of that. Moss went to the Raiders and people out there made their Super Bowl reservations. They are now 0-2, same as the Vikings, and headed nowhere. So don't tell me losing Moss is the cause of this debacle.
The cause is losing Matt Birk, and replacing OC Linehan with Steve Loney. Loney had little resume for this role, and only the cheap, bottom-line mentality of Red McCombs and Mike Tice allowed him to move into that role.
Loney did not exactly make the right call in benching Michael Bennett after his 2 fumbles in Cincy. Bennett is a veteran player that knows when he makes a mistake. The right call was to let him back in immediately and give him a couple more carries. Taking out the RB who had your only positive yards in the game at that point was a horrible decision. And I doubt it won over any of the offensive players.
Many people are also pointing out the defensive deficiencies. But, when you have this many new faces on defense, it is going to take time to gel. And if you leave that defense on the field for almost 40 minutes, they are going to get tired and give up some scores.
The schedule doesn't get any easier for Minnesota. The Saints come to town with the league's best road record, then the Vikes travel to Atlanta and Chicago with a bye in between. If they come out of this 0-5, a very real possibility, Tice is gone, no matter what.
The most disappointing thing about the bad start is the complete lack of mental toughness the Vikings are displaying. And that is the responsibility of the coaching staff.
So Tice has about 3 weeks to turn things around. If the Vikes win 2 of the next 3, Tice will probably survive the season. If it's 0-5, Tice's fate is sealed.
Titans Thump Ravens
The Tennessee Titans put a beating on the Baltimore Ravens. I wouldn't put as much stock into this as Pete Prisco does. The Ravens offense is bad, really bad. Stack the line against the run and you will shut them down.
Prisco is not the brightest bulb in the silverware drawer, but he should know better than to predict the Titans defense is back. Beating the Ravens offense just isn't that big of an accomplishment.
Prisco is not the brightest bulb in the silverware drawer, but he should know better than to predict the Titans defense is back. Beating the Ravens offense just isn't that big of an accomplishment.
Monday, September 19, 2005
They're Buccaneers, Ye Scurvy Dog
Arrr! I almost fergot, 'tis Talk Like a Pirate Day! What's that to do with you? Why the NFL is packed with pirates, plunderin' and pillagin' every Sunday.
What do ye think Raiders are, landlubber? Or Buccaneers? Or even Vikings? Of course, only one was plunderin' and pillagin' this week, 'twas the Bucs hangin' the Bills from the yardarm.
The Raiders tried, but even with all the crew swillin' the grog and cheerin' 'em on, there be no victory to celebrate today.
But the Vikings, mateys, aye, they did let us down. Playin' like bilge rats, they are! Culpepper is getting plundered by every scurvy landlubber that cares to board the ship! And the Cap'n and commanders, they been at the grog, too. They better set a better course tomorrow, or they'll find themselves in Davey Jones' locker soon enough!
If that's not enough pirate-y talk fer ye, try headin' over to the starboard side o' the blogosphere. This may help to pick up the spirits o' the Viking crew! 'Specially since we don't have no real football to watch. ARRRR!
What do ye think Raiders are, landlubber? Or Buccaneers? Or even Vikings? Of course, only one was plunderin' and pillagin' this week, 'twas the Bucs hangin' the Bills from the yardarm.
The Raiders tried, but even with all the crew swillin' the grog and cheerin' 'em on, there be no victory to celebrate today.
But the Vikings, mateys, aye, they did let us down. Playin' like bilge rats, they are! Culpepper is getting plundered by every scurvy landlubber that cares to board the ship! And the Cap'n and commanders, they been at the grog, too. They better set a better course tomorrow, or they'll find themselves in Davey Jones' locker soon enough!
If that's not enough pirate-y talk fer ye, try headin' over to the starboard side o' the blogosphere. This may help to pick up the spirits o' the Viking crew! 'Specially since we don't have no real football to watch. ARRRR!
Highlight Reel: Week 2
Indy and KC both look to have found some defense. For the Chiefs, having a defense to go with their running game could mean a championship season. We'll see if they can keep it going.
You know things are bad when the Bears look like the elites in their division. The NFC North has to be the worst in football.
Minnesota continued the debacle from week 1. Tice is definitely in the hot seat. More on that later.
The Broncos offense continues to offend, but they found something on defense against the Chargers in the 2nd half. Whoever gave the speech to the defense at halftime should have a chat with the offense.
Peyton is struggling, but the Colts defense had another inspired game. What will happen when they get to the soft part of their schedule?
The Jags' defense was also inspired, but Leftwich couldn't match them. It was strange to see the Colts in a defensive struggle.
The Bengals had 17 penalties!! And they still beat the Vikings by 29!! Two penalties nullified TDs. As Berman would say, this was a game that was not as close as the score may indicate.
Pittsburgh dominated as expected. The Texans' offensive coordinator becomes the season's first coaching casualty.
McNabb and Owens are having fun again! That's easy to do against the 49ers.
Baltimore's defense is apparently tired of carrying the load. They better find a solution at QB real fast or this season will be lost by October.
Tampa Bay has two quality wins to start the season and get a leg up in what could be the best division in the NFL. The defense looks good and Griese is fitting in well. Tampa looks like a playoff team again.
The Falcons wasted their great effort on Monday night by not playing football until the second half against Seattle.
St Louis and Arizona played a good game. Both defenses played well, but the Rams' running game pulled them through in the end. Now the Rams can finally go home for a game.
The Jets finally played like contenders against a revived Dolphins team. Miami still has issues, but the defense will keep things close and help produce a few victories this year. They might even be a good team by year's end.
The Pack is not doing well. Cleveland is slowly discovering their running game. Neither is going far this year.
You know things are bad when the Bears look like the elites in their division. The NFC North has to be the worst in football.
Minnesota continued the debacle from week 1. Tice is definitely in the hot seat. More on that later.
The Broncos offense continues to offend, but they found something on defense against the Chargers in the 2nd half. Whoever gave the speech to the defense at halftime should have a chat with the offense.
Peyton is struggling, but the Colts defense had another inspired game. What will happen when they get to the soft part of their schedule?
The Jags' defense was also inspired, but Leftwich couldn't match them. It was strange to see the Colts in a defensive struggle.
The Bengals had 17 penalties!! And they still beat the Vikings by 29!! Two penalties nullified TDs. As Berman would say, this was a game that was not as close as the score may indicate.
Pittsburgh dominated as expected. The Texans' offensive coordinator becomes the season's first coaching casualty.
McNabb and Owens are having fun again! That's easy to do against the 49ers.
Baltimore's defense is apparently tired of carrying the load. They better find a solution at QB real fast or this season will be lost by October.
Tampa Bay has two quality wins to start the season and get a leg up in what could be the best division in the NFL. The defense looks good and Griese is fitting in well. Tampa looks like a playoff team again.
The Falcons wasted their great effort on Monday night by not playing football until the second half against Seattle.
St Louis and Arizona played a good game. Both defenses played well, but the Rams' running game pulled them through in the end. Now the Rams can finally go home for a game.
The Jets finally played like contenders against a revived Dolphins team. Miami still has issues, but the defense will keep things close and help produce a few victories this year. They might even be a good team by year's end.
The Pack is not doing well. Cleveland is slowly discovering their running game. Neither is going far this year.
Michigan State 44, Irish 41
That loud noise you heard on Saturday was all of us Notre Dame football fans crashing back to earth. Michigan State went to South Bend and beat the Irish, and looked like a major power house while doing it.
The Irish spent the last two weeks making two ranked teams look ordinary. But the Spartans brought a top-flight passing game and used it to knock Notre Dame from the unbeaten list. I had to wonder after this game how it was that Oklahoma was still in the top 20 after their performances in their last 4 games, but the Spartans were unranked. That may change this week. Michigan State looked very impressive.
Notre Dame played well early and late, but a lot of things went wrong in the middle. They fell behind 38-17 in the 3rd quarter, and it looked like all was lost. But Charlie Weis' team pulled it together. The Irish showed poise and character in coming all the way back to tie it at 38-38. It was a great comeback, and is definitely something they can build on.
I blame this loss on NBC, though. At one point, with the game close and Notre Dame starting their first drive of the 2nd half, some genius at the peacock network decided to air the fact that Notre Dame had never lost a game where they had committed no turnovers. JINX! On the VERY NEXT PLAY, Brady Quinn threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Networks shouldn't be allowed to post that kind of stat until late in a game! Or ever.
The game was a heartbreaker, but it was also a great game to watch. This is the kind of game that sets college football apart from the NFL. Both are fun, but this kind of atmosphere is hard to find in the pro game.
Notre Dame is probably not going to win a national title this year. There will most likely be another loss or two along the way. But Weis has the Irish looking very good. Recruiting will only get better. And hopes are alive again under the Golden Dome. The last Irish coach to lose his home opener was Lou Holtz, and we all know what happened then. Irish football is back!
The Irish spent the last two weeks making two ranked teams look ordinary. But the Spartans brought a top-flight passing game and used it to knock Notre Dame from the unbeaten list. I had to wonder after this game how it was that Oklahoma was still in the top 20 after their performances in their last 4 games, but the Spartans were unranked. That may change this week. Michigan State looked very impressive.
Notre Dame played well early and late, but a lot of things went wrong in the middle. They fell behind 38-17 in the 3rd quarter, and it looked like all was lost. But Charlie Weis' team pulled it together. The Irish showed poise and character in coming all the way back to tie it at 38-38. It was a great comeback, and is definitely something they can build on.
I blame this loss on NBC, though. At one point, with the game close and Notre Dame starting their first drive of the 2nd half, some genius at the peacock network decided to air the fact that Notre Dame had never lost a game where they had committed no turnovers. JINX! On the VERY NEXT PLAY, Brady Quinn threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Networks shouldn't be allowed to post that kind of stat until late in a game! Or ever.
The game was a heartbreaker, but it was also a great game to watch. This is the kind of game that sets college football apart from the NFL. Both are fun, but this kind of atmosphere is hard to find in the pro game.
Notre Dame is probably not going to win a national title this year. There will most likely be another loss or two along the way. But Weis has the Irish looking very good. Recruiting will only get better. And hopes are alive again under the Golden Dome. The last Irish coach to lose his home opener was Lou Holtz, and we all know what happened then. Irish football is back!
Friday, September 16, 2005
Notre Dame vs Michigan State
There are many ways to measure how good a college football team is. One of them is how they play against unranked or less-talented opponents. A good coach won't let his team get so excited by a big victory on the road that they come home and lay an egg against an inferior team.
That is the situation for the Fighting Irish this week. Now we will see how good they are. And we will see if Coach Weis can keep his team even-keeled. As good as the Irish have played the first 2 games of the season, it won't mean much if they lose to Michigan State on Saturday.
From the Notre Dame official football site:
I think Charlie Weis will have his team ready to play. He always did in New England. This Irish team looks more level-headed than any since the Lou Holtz era. They play with emotion, but emotion isn't what makes them good. This team executes and has confidence in themselves, the game plan, and the coaches.
I would be very surprised if Notre Dame lost this game. In fact, I will be surprised if it's even close.
Notre Dame 38, Michigan State 20
That is the situation for the Fighting Irish this week. Now we will see how good they are. And we will see if Coach Weis can keep his team even-keeled. As good as the Irish have played the first 2 games of the season, it won't mean much if they lose to Michigan State on Saturday.
From the Notre Dame official football site:
Notre Dame head football coach Charlie Weis did not spend much time celebrating his team's headline-grabbing upset at No. 3 Michigan last weekend. While on the team bus heading back to campus, Weis reached into his bag, pulled out his media guide and took a look at the series history between Notre Dame and Michigan State.
Weis' check of the series history would be the key to his motivation for the Irish this week. The Spartans have won more games in Notre Dame Stadium (11) than any other Irish opponent. The Spartans have also won four consecutive games in `The House that Rockne Built,' becoming just the second Irish opponent to accomplish that feat (Purdue won five in a row from 1954-62).
I think Charlie Weis will have his team ready to play. He always did in New England. This Irish team looks more level-headed than any since the Lou Holtz era. They play with emotion, but emotion isn't what makes them good. This team executes and has confidence in themselves, the game plan, and the coaches.
I would be very surprised if Notre Dame lost this game. In fact, I will be surprised if it's even close.
Notre Dame 38, Michigan State 20
Dumbass of the Week
There's just no other way to say it. I try to keep the language G-rated, I try to adhere to some form of standard, but sometimes it is just not possible. When somebody does something so irrational, so illogical, and so stupid, there is only one word for that person; dumbass.
I have considered doing this on a weekly basis, but I always thought it would be difficult to find someone to fit the bill week after week. And besides, once you get past T.O. and Randy Moss, how many real dumbasses are out there?
But, apparently, there is no shortage of dumbasses in the NFL. So here I go with my first 'Dumbass of the Week' award. And the winner, er, loser, er dumbass is:
Samir Suleiman, Director of Football Administration for the St Louis Rams. He will be reprimanded for leaving a threatening phone message with a reporter. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
I have considered doing this on a weekly basis, but I always thought it would be difficult to find someone to fit the bill week after week. And besides, once you get past T.O. and Randy Moss, how many real dumbasses are out there?
But, apparently, there is no shortage of dumbasses in the NFL. So here I go with my first 'Dumbass of the Week' award. And the winner, er, loser, er dumbass is:
Samir Suleiman, Director of Football Administration for the St Louis Rams. He will be reprimanded for leaving a threatening phone message with a reporter. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
I can't think of too many things that would qualify as being more stupid than leaving a threatening phone message on the phone of a reporter. But, I'm sure someone out there is willing to prove me wrong.In an Aug. 28 column in the Post-Dispatch, Miklasz wrote that Rams executives owed the head coach - no matter whom he was - their support instead of back-stabbing him.
Apparently in response to that column, Suleiman left a message on Miklasz's voice mail stating, in part, "tell your source that I'm not a back-stabber, I'm a (expletive) throat slasher, and he'll know the difference before it's all said and done."
Week 2 Previews and Picks
Last week I promised to preview Superfan. I was not impressed. The Superfan package on DirecTV's Sunday Ticket was disappointing. The Red Zone Channel had Washinton/Chicago on for the better part of the day, even when other teams were in the Red Zone. And watching 8 games on one screen? No thanks. Way too distracting. I'll spend that $100 on something else.
Week 2 should hopefully start getting us back to normalcy. It's doubtful that Miami, San Francisco, and Washington will all win on the same weekend too many times this year.
Best Games to Watch
1. New England at Carolina - A past Super Bowl rematch. Carolina has to avoid going 0-2 without one of their best defensive players. New England looked good against a bad Oakland team, can they score on this defense?
2. San Diego at Denver - One of these teams goes 0-2, which is very bad in this division. The Chargers haven't had much success in Denver. The Broncos were embarrassed last week and will come out strong.
3. Buffalo at Tamp Bay - This will be low-scoring but fun to watch. One of them will go 2-0 and get a leg up in their division.
4. Jacksonville at Indianapolis - The Colts struggled against the Ravens for a couple of quarters last week. If Baltimore had any offense at all, the Colts would be 0-1. Leftwich plays well against the Colts. This could be a classic.
5. Washington at Dallas - Parcells has his team looking good. Gibbs has his defense looking good. The winner stays one up on Philly.
Best Fantasy Games (Highest Scoring)
Kansas City at Oakland - Lots of offense, very little defense. Trent Green, Holmes, and Gonzalez will be big, Larry Johnson get score some, too. Collins and Moss should hook up often.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis - We all know the Colts can score, but the Jags have opened up their offense, too. Manning, Harrison, and Stokely should do well. Leftwich and Jimmy Smith could also put some numbers up. Fred Taylor also has good potential here.
Minnesota at Cincinatti - Culpepper won't play thet poorly ever again! The Vikings all have something to prove. The Bengals are looking to go 2-0 and have the offense to do it. Palmer and Chad Johnson should do well. Don't count on Rudi doing too much. Culpepper and Nate Burleson could have big days. Also watch for Jermaine Wiggins. Culpepper likes him close to the end zone and when they must have positive yards.
My Picks (5-8 this season)
Last week was bad for prognostication. Too many bad impressions from the pre-season. Need to ignore ESPN.
Baltimore at Tennessee - Baltimore, big.
Buffalo at Tamp Bay - Tampa Bay, Losman didn't impress against bad Texans defense.
Detroit at Chicago - Detroit, but it will be close.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis - I'm tempted to take the upset here, but I think the Colts will win.
Pittsburgh at Houston - Pittsburgh. No contest.
San Francisco at Philadelphia - Trotter's back, Eagles win.
Atlanta at Seattle - Atlanta wins, Holmgren starts the hot seat squirm.
St Louis at Arizona - Both were disappointed last week. St Louis wins a close one.
Cleveland at Green Bay - Packers offense looked horrible. Browns in a minor upset.
Miami at New York Jets - The Dolphins defense looks super, the Jets look 0-2. Dolphins win.
San Diego at Denver - The Chargers struggle in Denver. Denver wins a close one.
Kansas City at Oakland - The Chiefs will win a wild game.
Washington at Dallas - Cowboys. The Redskins have no offense.
Upsets of the Week (1-1 this season)
Minnesota at Cincinatti - The Vikings offense rebounds big. Vikings by 10. My Homer pick.
New Orleans at New York Giants - The Saints could win this one easily.
New England at Carolina - It's not often I go against the Patriots, but this one just smells like an upset.
Week 2 should hopefully start getting us back to normalcy. It's doubtful that Miami, San Francisco, and Washington will all win on the same weekend too many times this year.
Best Games to Watch
1. New England at Carolina - A past Super Bowl rematch. Carolina has to avoid going 0-2 without one of their best defensive players. New England looked good against a bad Oakland team, can they score on this defense?
2. San Diego at Denver - One of these teams goes 0-2, which is very bad in this division. The Chargers haven't had much success in Denver. The Broncos were embarrassed last week and will come out strong.
3. Buffalo at Tamp Bay - This will be low-scoring but fun to watch. One of them will go 2-0 and get a leg up in their division.
4. Jacksonville at Indianapolis - The Colts struggled against the Ravens for a couple of quarters last week. If Baltimore had any offense at all, the Colts would be 0-1. Leftwich plays well against the Colts. This could be a classic.
5. Washington at Dallas - Parcells has his team looking good. Gibbs has his defense looking good. The winner stays one up on Philly.
Best Fantasy Games (Highest Scoring)
Kansas City at Oakland - Lots of offense, very little defense. Trent Green, Holmes, and Gonzalez will be big, Larry Johnson get score some, too. Collins and Moss should hook up often.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis - We all know the Colts can score, but the Jags have opened up their offense, too. Manning, Harrison, and Stokely should do well. Leftwich and Jimmy Smith could also put some numbers up. Fred Taylor also has good potential here.
Minnesota at Cincinatti - Culpepper won't play thet poorly ever again! The Vikings all have something to prove. The Bengals are looking to go 2-0 and have the offense to do it. Palmer and Chad Johnson should do well. Don't count on Rudi doing too much. Culpepper and Nate Burleson could have big days. Also watch for Jermaine Wiggins. Culpepper likes him close to the end zone and when they must have positive yards.
My Picks (5-8 this season)
Last week was bad for prognostication. Too many bad impressions from the pre-season. Need to ignore ESPN.
Baltimore at Tennessee - Baltimore, big.
Buffalo at Tamp Bay - Tampa Bay, Losman didn't impress against bad Texans defense.
Detroit at Chicago - Detroit, but it will be close.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis - I'm tempted to take the upset here, but I think the Colts will win.
Pittsburgh at Houston - Pittsburgh. No contest.
San Francisco at Philadelphia - Trotter's back, Eagles win.
Atlanta at Seattle - Atlanta wins, Holmgren starts the hot seat squirm.
St Louis at Arizona - Both were disappointed last week. St Louis wins a close one.
Cleveland at Green Bay - Packers offense looked horrible. Browns in a minor upset.
Miami at New York Jets - The Dolphins defense looks super, the Jets look 0-2. Dolphins win.
San Diego at Denver - The Chargers struggle in Denver. Denver wins a close one.
Kansas City at Oakland - The Chiefs will win a wild game.
Washington at Dallas - Cowboys. The Redskins have no offense.
Upsets of the Week (1-1 this season)
Minnesota at Cincinatti - The Vikings offense rebounds big. Vikings by 10. My Homer pick.
New Orleans at New York Giants - The Saints could win this one easily.
New England at Carolina - It's not often I go against the Patriots, but this one just smells like an upset.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Something Positive for Jets, Broncos, and Vikings
Boomer Esiason talks about the Week 1 losses for these teams, and puts a bit of a positive spin on it. Also, Gil Brandt's article contains this little tidbit:
Since 2002, teams that begin the year 1-1 or 0-2:
Have made the playoffs 25 of a possible 36 times, or 69.4 percent of the time.
Three of the past four Super Bowl winners have started the season 1-1 or 0-2.
For us Vikings and Broncos fans, it is good to keep these things in mind.
Since 2002, teams that begin the year 1-1 or 0-2:
Have made the playoffs 25 of a possible 36 times, or 69.4 percent of the time.
Three of the past four Super Bowl winners have started the season 1-1 or 0-2.
For us Vikings and Broncos fans, it is good to keep these things in mind.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Broncos Need to Regroup Fast
The Broncos don't have much time to get it together after their loss to the Dolphins. They face the Chargers and Chiefs in the next 2 weeks. The Chargers lost a close one and will be steaming, and the Chiefs looked like they actually had a defense.
But Denver's loss was not as bad as the score looks today. It is easy to forget that it was only 13-3 after 3 quarters. The defense looked pretty good until the 4th quarter, and then they wore down after losing Champ Bailey. But don't read too much negative into the Denver defense, they got no help at all from the offense.
Many people will criticize Plummer for this loss, but that is unfair. He actually played a pretty good game. The real problems offensively were receivers dropping balls and the running game being shut down by a very good Miami defense.
Watching the game, I wondered how these Broncos receivers had convinced Jerry Rice to retire. I counted at least 5 passes dropped that should have been caught, all of them would have resulted in a first down and one would have been a touchdown. This also contributed to the defense being on the field too much and causing the defense to wear down in the 4th quarter.
Rod Smith was solid, but Lelie and the other wideouts and tight ends were not good. It shouldn't matter how hard or soft Jake Plummer throws the ball, they are paid to catch it. My son played on a team with the son of Steve Watson Broncos Receivers Coach) many years ago, and Watson told them at one point how to catch a ball properly and said that if you can get both hands on it, it is catchable. He needs to explain that Lelie, Watts, and Alexander.
The running game was also a disappointment. But Miami has always been good against the run. I suspect that the San Diego game will be a much more accurate gauge of the running game. If they struggle again, it could be a long season.
And what happened to improving in the Red Zone. Four chances, one touchdown, not good! They used Ron Dayne in those situations in the pre-season and he had good success. Why didn't they try it this time? This is a problem that MUST be fixed if the Broncos are to have a winning season.
It is only one game. The Broncos will play better as the season goes on. But a 3-game stretch against the Chargers, Chiefs, and Jaguars is really going to test this team. If they make the adjustments, they will be fine. If not, they will find themselves in a hole they can't get out of. The AFC has improved from last year, and it looks like 10-6 might be the cutoff for the playoffs. Denver can't afford any more games like this one.
But Denver's loss was not as bad as the score looks today. It is easy to forget that it was only 13-3 after 3 quarters. The defense looked pretty good until the 4th quarter, and then they wore down after losing Champ Bailey. But don't read too much negative into the Denver defense, they got no help at all from the offense.
Many people will criticize Plummer for this loss, but that is unfair. He actually played a pretty good game. The real problems offensively were receivers dropping balls and the running game being shut down by a very good Miami defense.
Watching the game, I wondered how these Broncos receivers had convinced Jerry Rice to retire. I counted at least 5 passes dropped that should have been caught, all of them would have resulted in a first down and one would have been a touchdown. This also contributed to the defense being on the field too much and causing the defense to wear down in the 4th quarter.
Rod Smith was solid, but Lelie and the other wideouts and tight ends were not good. It shouldn't matter how hard or soft Jake Plummer throws the ball, they are paid to catch it. My son played on a team with the son of Steve Watson Broncos Receivers Coach) many years ago, and Watson told them at one point how to catch a ball properly and said that if you can get both hands on it, it is catchable. He needs to explain that Lelie, Watts, and Alexander.
The running game was also a disappointment. But Miami has always been good against the run. I suspect that the San Diego game will be a much more accurate gauge of the running game. If they struggle again, it could be a long season.
And what happened to improving in the Red Zone. Four chances, one touchdown, not good! They used Ron Dayne in those situations in the pre-season and he had good success. Why didn't they try it this time? This is a problem that MUST be fixed if the Broncos are to have a winning season.
It is only one game. The Broncos will play better as the season goes on. But a 3-game stretch against the Chargers, Chiefs, and Jaguars is really going to test this team. If they make the adjustments, they will be fine. If not, they will find themselves in a hole they can't get out of. The AFC has improved from last year, and it looks like 10-6 might be the cutoff for the playoffs. Denver can't afford any more games like this one.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
We Forgot To Remember
Sunday morning got a little crazy for me and I missed the kickoffs for the early games. So maybe I missed the big remembrances around the league for 9/11. But maybe I didn't.
In an entire weekend of NFL football I did not hear one reference to 9/11. I did not hear of a single moment of silence. Not one announcer in a single booth talked about our heroes fighting in Afghanistan or Iraq.
There were many calls for help for the hurricane Katrina victims, and that is definitely a good thing for the NFL to be doing. But they forgot to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 and their families and the soldiers fighting for our freedom around the globe, and that is definitely a bad thing.
The NFL played games on 9/11, there should have been tributes and remebrances league-wide. But there weren't. Only the Giants seemed to remember what day it was. And the NFL should be embarrassed by this major oversight! Especially since one of their own gave up a football career to fight in the War on Terror. And died doing so.
I also did not see a single reference to 9/11 on any pre-game, halftime, or post-game show. CBS, ABC, and Fox should all be embarrassed by that. And if it was done deliberately, they should all be ashamed!
Just in case you forgot the horrors and heroes of that day, go here, or here, or here. And if you're wondering about our heroes overseas and what they are doing and going through, go here and read it all.
And please remember that every American uniform holds a hero. Thank our soldiers, police officers, firemen and women, first responders, national guard, reservists, coast guard, etc, etc.
“We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” George Orwell
In an entire weekend of NFL football I did not hear one reference to 9/11. I did not hear of a single moment of silence. Not one announcer in a single booth talked about our heroes fighting in Afghanistan or Iraq.
There were many calls for help for the hurricane Katrina victims, and that is definitely a good thing for the NFL to be doing. But they forgot to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 and their families and the soldiers fighting for our freedom around the globe, and that is definitely a bad thing.
The NFL played games on 9/11, there should have been tributes and remebrances league-wide. But there weren't. Only the Giants seemed to remember what day it was. And the NFL should be embarrassed by this major oversight! Especially since one of their own gave up a football career to fight in the War on Terror. And died doing so.
I also did not see a single reference to 9/11 on any pre-game, halftime, or post-game show. CBS, ABC, and Fox should all be embarrassed by that. And if it was done deliberately, they should all be ashamed!
Just in case you forgot the horrors and heroes of that day, go here, or here, or here. And if you're wondering about our heroes overseas and what they are doing and going through, go here and read it all.
And please remember that every American uniform holds a hero. Thank our soldiers, police officers, firemen and women, first responders, national guard, reservists, coast guard, etc, etc.
“We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” George Orwell
Vikings Need to Adjust, Not Panic
Losing the first game of the year is not a disaster. The Vikings have won many first games in recent years and then watched the playoffs from home. So there is no reason to panic. But it is time for concern.
The Vikings defense played very well, except for that one big run by the Cadillac. Sharper had a big interception return for a TD and they kept the Bucs' offense in check for most of the day. The special teams also played well.
So the issues for the Vikings are on offense. It seems very strange to write that. They missed Matt Birk more than they thought, and the o-line lost the matchups and didn't open holes for the backs. Once Tampa Bay figured out the Vikings couldn't run the ball, they went into attack mode and Daunte found himself being pressured on every pass play.
Minnesota's coaching staff also seemed at a loss to adjust to what was happening on the field. This has been one of the problems over the years. But, having a new offensive coordinator and playing with Moss is going to take some adjusting.
It's not time to panic, it's only one loss. The offense did have 2 TDs negated by penalties, and were able to move the ball at times. It looks like they just need to make some improvements on the offensive line and they will be all right.
Now they have to go to Cincy and try to get one back. This will be a good test for the Vikings. If they pull off a win they are back to .500 and will be ok. If they lose, well, then it might be time to get a little more concerned, but still not time to panic. After all, the Vikes play in the NFC North. 10-6 or 9-7 could win this division, and none of these teams are powerhouses. The Vikings just need to keep improving each week and everything will be fine.
The Vikings defense played very well, except for that one big run by the Cadillac. Sharper had a big interception return for a TD and they kept the Bucs' offense in check for most of the day. The special teams also played well.
So the issues for the Vikings are on offense. It seems very strange to write that. They missed Matt Birk more than they thought, and the o-line lost the matchups and didn't open holes for the backs. Once Tampa Bay figured out the Vikings couldn't run the ball, they went into attack mode and Daunte found himself being pressured on every pass play.
Minnesota's coaching staff also seemed at a loss to adjust to what was happening on the field. This has been one of the problems over the years. But, having a new offensive coordinator and playing with Moss is going to take some adjusting.
It's not time to panic, it's only one loss. The offense did have 2 TDs negated by penalties, and were able to move the ball at times. It looks like they just need to make some improvements on the offensive line and they will be all right.
Now they have to go to Cincy and try to get one back. This will be a good test for the Vikings. If they pull off a win they are back to .500 and will be ok. If they lose, well, then it might be time to get a little more concerned, but still not time to panic. After all, the Vikes play in the NFC North. 10-6 or 9-7 could win this division, and none of these teams are powerhouses. The Vikings just need to keep improving each week and everything will be fine.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Monday Highlight Reel: Week 1
The Jets really looked bad. Why can't Herm Edwards get his teams to play well at the beginning of a season? I thought he was such a great motivator.
The horrid Chiefs and Colts defenses both held their opponents to 7 points. That's one sign of the apocalypse, isn't it?
Ben Roethlisberger looked bad in pre-season. The Broncos offense looked very good. Another reason not to believe anything you see in the pre-season.
Jimmy Smith is getting old? Seven receptions for 130 yards and 2 TDs would suggest he's in his prime. And Leftwich may finally have an offense where he can excel.
Tampa Bay has a defense again. They picked off Culpepper 3 times. Daunte doesn't miss Moss, though, it's the running game that left Minnesota.
I had forgotten how good Miami's defense is. And the offense wasn't bad either. Denver looked pathetic, more on that later.
Martz wasted no time doing something stupid. He challenged the call on the opening kickoff when his bonehead returner caught the ball while running out of bounds inside the 1-yard line. He treats timeouts like something stuck to his shoes.
The 49ers' offense played well and could put up some points this year. The decision to go with Rattay looks like a good one.
Cincy and Cleveland combined for only 40 points. That's less than either one usually scores in thier games. Carson Palmer has control of this offense.
Dallas made one heck of a defensive stand to end their game with the Chargers, saving the victory. The Cowboys beat a good team on the road. Think the Eagles noticed?
The Saints played a great game and definitely were inspired. The hardships they will face this season will probably make them a better team, a much better team. The Panthers, though, seemed, well, uninspired.
The Cardinals are everybody's Cinderella team this year. The clock hit midnight awful early! The Giants annihilated them. Dennis Green still has a bit of work to do. Warner looks good when he has time, it's just that he rarely has time.
Losman was 17 for 28 for only 170 and 1 TD. Against the Texans. That's not good news for the Bills.
Detroit looked very good against the Packers. But most impressive was their defense. Harrington was adequate, but the D held Favre to 3 points. With the Vikings looking lost, the Lions have to believe the division is wide open for them.
Redskins 9, Bears 7. Does anyone really care?
Is Pittsburgh that good, or are the Titans that bad? I think the Titans defense is that bad and the Steelers defense is that good.
If Kyle Boller is the answer in Baltimore, the Ravens defense is going to have to score TDs to make this team better than .500. And Matt Stover might want to dust off that resume and start emphasizing his NON-football skills.
Peyton Manning beat a good defense on the road. But that defense had to get good and tired before he did. If the Ravens had any offense at all, the Colts would have been in trouble.
The horrid Chiefs and Colts defenses both held their opponents to 7 points. That's one sign of the apocalypse, isn't it?
Ben Roethlisberger looked bad in pre-season. The Broncos offense looked very good. Another reason not to believe anything you see in the pre-season.
Jimmy Smith is getting old? Seven receptions for 130 yards and 2 TDs would suggest he's in his prime. And Leftwich may finally have an offense where he can excel.
Tampa Bay has a defense again. They picked off Culpepper 3 times. Daunte doesn't miss Moss, though, it's the running game that left Minnesota.
I had forgotten how good Miami's defense is. And the offense wasn't bad either. Denver looked pathetic, more on that later.
Martz wasted no time doing something stupid. He challenged the call on the opening kickoff when his bonehead returner caught the ball while running out of bounds inside the 1-yard line. He treats timeouts like something stuck to his shoes.
The 49ers' offense played well and could put up some points this year. The decision to go with Rattay looks like a good one.
Cincy and Cleveland combined for only 40 points. That's less than either one usually scores in thier games. Carson Palmer has control of this offense.
Dallas made one heck of a defensive stand to end their game with the Chargers, saving the victory. The Cowboys beat a good team on the road. Think the Eagles noticed?
The Saints played a great game and definitely were inspired. The hardships they will face this season will probably make them a better team, a much better team. The Panthers, though, seemed, well, uninspired.
The Cardinals are everybody's Cinderella team this year. The clock hit midnight awful early! The Giants annihilated them. Dennis Green still has a bit of work to do. Warner looks good when he has time, it's just that he rarely has time.
Losman was 17 for 28 for only 170 and 1 TD. Against the Texans. That's not good news for the Bills.
Detroit looked very good against the Packers. But most impressive was their defense. Harrington was adequate, but the D held Favre to 3 points. With the Vikings looking lost, the Lions have to believe the division is wide open for them.
Redskins 9, Bears 7. Does anyone really care?
Is Pittsburgh that good, or are the Titans that bad? I think the Titans defense is that bad and the Steelers defense is that good.
If Kyle Boller is the answer in Baltimore, the Ravens defense is going to have to score TDs to make this team better than .500. And Matt Stover might want to dust off that resume and start emphasizing his NON-football skills.
Peyton Manning beat a good defense on the road. But that defense had to get good and tired before he did. If the Ravens had any offense at all, the Colts would have been in trouble.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Week 1 Preview and Picks
The biggest preview of the year will be DirecTV's Sunday Ticket Superfan. I have not yet signed up for the Superfan part. I'm going to use my free preview first to see what it's like.
Best Games to Watch:
1. Colts at Ravens - Coach Billick is playing up the Colts leaving Baltimore angle to get the crowd involved, and Ray Lewis is saying all the right things. Manning still has to prove he can beat a good defense.
2. Eagles at Falcons - Rematch of the NFC title game. Neither team has changed too much, so this will be a fun game to watch. And the TO Show (aka Debacle, Distraction, Disaster) will add to the atmosphere. Owens says he has cleared the air with McNabb. No word yet from McNabb.
3. Saints at Panthers - I'm interested to see how the Saints respond to everything that has happened recently. Panthers are starting healthy. This should be a great game.
4. Cowboys at Chargers - Parcells has his running game and an improved pass attack. The Chargers need to show that last season was no fluke.
5. Broncos at Dolphins - Denver needs to take step to next level, and the Dolphins are starting over, kind of. This one will be fun because of the unknowns.
Best Fantasy Games (Highest Scoring Games)
Bengals at Browns - These teams have really aired it out in the past. Palmer could have a huge day.
Jets at Chiefs - Chiefs can score at will, but still can't stop anyone. Holmes and Pennington will have big games here.
Rams at 49ers - This could be one-sided, but don't bet on it. Jackson, Bulger, and Holt should be big, but a couple of 49ers could break out, too.
Bucs at Vikings - Tampa Bay can't stop this offense. The question is, can the Vikings' defense stop anyone this year. Culpepper, Burleson, and Bennett could be big.
Seahawks at Jaguars - The Jags are supposed to be opening up the offense, and Seattle might have some receivers who can catch. Watch this one for fantasy prospects.
My Picks:
Bears at Redskins - Redskins in low-scoring game
Bengals at Browns - Bengals
Broncos at Dolphins - Broncos running game wins this one
Texans at Bills - Bills in a blowout
Saints at Panthers - Panthers, but it's close
Jets at Chiefs - Chiefs, they need the fast start
Seahawks at Jaguars - Jaguars
Bucs at Vikings - Vikings, big
Cardinals at Giants - Cards in upset, Warner and Arrington star
Packers at Lions - Packers, Favre makes the difference here
Rams at 49ers - Rams in a shootout
Colts at Ravens - Ravens, Manning will struggle
Eagles at Falcons - Eagles
Upsets of the Week
Titans at Steelers - Roethlisberger is struggling and McNair is hungry. The Titans have more weapons than people think. It will be low scoring, like 10-7, Titans win.
Cowboys at Chargers - The Cowboys could be the big surprise of the year. Their defense will turn the tide at some point. Cowboys, 27-24.
Best Games to Watch:
1. Colts at Ravens - Coach Billick is playing up the Colts leaving Baltimore angle to get the crowd involved, and Ray Lewis is saying all the right things. Manning still has to prove he can beat a good defense.
2. Eagles at Falcons - Rematch of the NFC title game. Neither team has changed too much, so this will be a fun game to watch. And the TO Show (aka Debacle, Distraction, Disaster) will add to the atmosphere. Owens says he has cleared the air with McNabb. No word yet from McNabb.
3. Saints at Panthers - I'm interested to see how the Saints respond to everything that has happened recently. Panthers are starting healthy. This should be a great game.
4. Cowboys at Chargers - Parcells has his running game and an improved pass attack. The Chargers need to show that last season was no fluke.
5. Broncos at Dolphins - Denver needs to take step to next level, and the Dolphins are starting over, kind of. This one will be fun because of the unknowns.
Best Fantasy Games (Highest Scoring Games)
Bengals at Browns - These teams have really aired it out in the past. Palmer could have a huge day.
Jets at Chiefs - Chiefs can score at will, but still can't stop anyone. Holmes and Pennington will have big games here.
Rams at 49ers - This could be one-sided, but don't bet on it. Jackson, Bulger, and Holt should be big, but a couple of 49ers could break out, too.
Bucs at Vikings - Tampa Bay can't stop this offense. The question is, can the Vikings' defense stop anyone this year. Culpepper, Burleson, and Bennett could be big.
Seahawks at Jaguars - The Jags are supposed to be opening up the offense, and Seattle might have some receivers who can catch. Watch this one for fantasy prospects.
My Picks:
Bears at Redskins - Redskins in low-scoring game
Bengals at Browns - Bengals
Broncos at Dolphins - Broncos running game wins this one
Texans at Bills - Bills in a blowout
Saints at Panthers - Panthers, but it's close
Jets at Chiefs - Chiefs, they need the fast start
Seahawks at Jaguars - Jaguars
Bucs at Vikings - Vikings, big
Cardinals at Giants - Cards in upset, Warner and Arrington star
Packers at Lions - Packers, Favre makes the difference here
Rams at 49ers - Rams in a shootout
Colts at Ravens - Ravens, Manning will struggle
Eagles at Falcons - Eagles
Upsets of the Week
Titans at Steelers - Roethlisberger is struggling and McNair is hungry. The Titans have more weapons than people think. It will be low scoring, like 10-7, Titans win.
Cowboys at Chargers - The Cowboys could be the big surprise of the year. Their defense will turn the tide at some point. Cowboys, 27-24.
Weis Puts Fight Back Into Fighting Irish
It hasn't been there for a long time. Not since the Lou Holtz era to be exact. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish just couldn't hold up to the top teams. But this year, they have gone on the road twice and dominated top-ranked teams.
Notre Dame used their quick start and timely turnovers Saturday to beat 3rd-ranked (over-rated) Michigan 17-10. In years past, that quick lead would have faded and, eventually, disappeared. But not with Weis in charge. The Irish now look like a top 10 team.
This has been a long time coming. Irish fans can finally look forward to a season of competitive football with excellent prosects for long-term success. And maybe a shot or two at the national title. Notre Dame football is fun again!
Notre Dame used their quick start and timely turnovers Saturday to beat 3rd-ranked (over-rated) Michigan 17-10. In years past, that quick lead would have faded and, eventually, disappeared. But not with Weis in charge. The Irish now look like a top 10 team.
This has been a long time coming. Irish fans can finally look forward to a season of competitive football with excellent prosects for long-term success. And maybe a shot or two at the national title. Notre Dame football is fun again!
Friday, September 09, 2005
Broncos Need to Take Next Step in 2005
Ever since the Broncos lost John Elway and Terrell Davis after back-to-back Super Bowl wins, they have been adrift, searching for anything to get them back to the top. It looks like most of the pieces are in place for Denver to take that next step.
The defense will be even better this year than last, in spite of what the experts are saying. What they are forgetting is the talent of Trevor Pryce, the unbelievable speed of the linebackers, and the fact that Denver had one of the best defenses in the league last year. The only weakness is in the secondary, but if they get that settled, they will be strong from top to bottom.
Offensively, the Broncos showed signs that they are ready to dominate teams. This was Jake Plummer's best pre-season, and the running game looks awesome. Anderson, Bell, and Dayne are all capable of putting up big numbers.
For the Broncos to actually take the next step, they must do 2 things; improve at the wide receiver position and get much better in short-yardage situations. The receiver situation remains to be seen, but there is already improvement in the short-yardage game. Mike Anderson and Ron Dayne give Denver what they didn't have the last couple of seasons, size and power.
From the Rocky Mtn News:
That sums up the problems from last year. And that problem should go away this year.
Ashley Lelie and Darius Watts are the other issue. Both must get better and more consistent. Lelie could be on the brink of a breakout season. And, of course, Jake Plummer must also improve. He made some real bonehead plays last year, and those must be avoided this year.
The Broncos have a difficult schedule this year. In addition to their own tough division they must play both of last year's Super Bowl teams, plus Baltimore, New York Jets, and at Buffalo and Jacksonville. And no doormats.
But the difficult schedule shouldn't keep them out of the playoffs. If the defense can improve in the secondary and the receivers improve as much as the running game, Denver could make a serious run at the Super Bowl.
The defense will be even better this year than last, in spite of what the experts are saying. What they are forgetting is the talent of Trevor Pryce, the unbelievable speed of the linebackers, and the fact that Denver had one of the best defenses in the league last year. The only weakness is in the secondary, but if they get that settled, they will be strong from top to bottom.
Offensively, the Broncos showed signs that they are ready to dominate teams. This was Jake Plummer's best pre-season, and the running game looks awesome. Anderson, Bell, and Dayne are all capable of putting up big numbers.
For the Broncos to actually take the next step, they must do 2 things; improve at the wide receiver position and get much better in short-yardage situations. The receiver situation remains to be seen, but there is already improvement in the short-yardage game. Mike Anderson and Ron Dayne give Denver what they didn't have the last couple of seasons, size and power.
From the Rocky Mtn News:
Last season, the Broncos went only 32-for-54 (59.3 percent) in third-and-2 or shorter and produced only five scoring runs that were 5 yards or shorter in the regular season. Overall, the team's 37.9 percent conversion rate on third down was the worst in coach Mike Shanahan's 10 seasons.
That sums up the problems from last year. And that problem should go away this year.
Ashley Lelie and Darius Watts are the other issue. Both must get better and more consistent. Lelie could be on the brink of a breakout season. And, of course, Jake Plummer must also improve. He made some real bonehead plays last year, and those must be avoided this year.
The Broncos have a difficult schedule this year. In addition to their own tough division they must play both of last year's Super Bowl teams, plus Baltimore, New York Jets, and at Buffalo and Jacksonville. And no doormats.
But the difficult schedule shouldn't keep them out of the playoffs. If the defense can improve in the secondary and the receivers improve as much as the running game, Denver could make a serious run at the Super Bowl.
Same Old Patriots, Raiders, and Madden
The new season started off looking a lot like last season. The Patriots dominated, the Raiders folded, and Madden was irritating. Not fingers-on-a-chalkboard irritating, but loud-crying-baby irritating.
New England came out looking a little out of synch, but took control by the 2nd quarter and never gave it up. They surrendered 2 TDs to the Raiders in the first half; one when the defender fell down trying to cover Moss, and the other when the defender went for a pick on a quick out to Lamont Jordan. He whiffed, and Jordan got a big gainer that resulted in a TD soon thereafter.
But then, the patriots really got it going, and it didn't look like they were missing their lost coordinators from last year. A message was sent that the Patriots are just as strong as last year.
The Raiders also looked the same as last year. Decent offense, Hoover-style defense (it sucked), lots of foolish penalties, and a loss. Moss looked is a great talent, but Collins began staring at Moss and missing him badly. Especially in the 2nd half. Lamont Jordan started strong, but was shut down in the 2nd half. Completely.
And Madden, although looking less old than last year, was his same old irritating self. Can't ABC find anyone else? Anyone at all? Anyone but Boomer?
Madden at one point said he didn't see how the Vikings could trade Moss away and get better. Huh? You don't see it? And ABC is paying him millions o' dollars? The Vikings got better by getting rid of a bad apple, a locker room cancer, a chemical imbalance, and a constant distraction all at once. They transformed the draft picks into talent at 2 positions and shored up their horrible defense. The Vikings are better today than last year and if he can't see how, he shouldn't be doing football analysis for a major network.
The game itself was fun to watch (especially since the hated Raiders lost) and was a great start to the season. Hopefully, all the MNF games will be this good.
New England came out looking a little out of synch, but took control by the 2nd quarter and never gave it up. They surrendered 2 TDs to the Raiders in the first half; one when the defender fell down trying to cover Moss, and the other when the defender went for a pick on a quick out to Lamont Jordan. He whiffed, and Jordan got a big gainer that resulted in a TD soon thereafter.
But then, the patriots really got it going, and it didn't look like they were missing their lost coordinators from last year. A message was sent that the Patriots are just as strong as last year.
The Raiders also looked the same as last year. Decent offense, Hoover-style defense (it sucked), lots of foolish penalties, and a loss. Moss looked is a great talent, but Collins began staring at Moss and missing him badly. Especially in the 2nd half. Lamont Jordan started strong, but was shut down in the 2nd half. Completely.
And Madden, although looking less old than last year, was his same old irritating self. Can't ABC find anyone else? Anyone at all? Anyone but Boomer?
Madden at one point said he didn't see how the Vikings could trade Moss away and get better. Huh? You don't see it? And ABC is paying him millions o' dollars? The Vikings got better by getting rid of a bad apple, a locker room cancer, a chemical imbalance, and a constant distraction all at once. They transformed the draft picks into talent at 2 positions and shored up their horrible defense. The Vikings are better today than last year and if he can't see how, he shouldn't be doing football analysis for a major network.
The game itself was fun to watch (especially since the hated Raiders lost) and was a great start to the season. Hopefully, all the MNF games will be this good.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Fantasy Stars: Week 1 Fantasy Preview
The first week of the season is always filled with surprises, but there are some players out there who can be counted on for good points. There are also some that will make owners sorry they weren't benched.
Stud players like Peyton Manning, Tomlinson, Priest Holmes, etc won't be listed here because they should be starting every week. If a stud is listed here, it is because I think they will have a huge day. Also, no kickers. They are too unpredictable week-to-week.
Quarterbacks
STARS:
Chad Pennington(NYJ) - A gift in week 1 against the lame KC defense. Daunte Culpepper(Min) - This is a no-brainer every week, but I think Daunte will be HUGE in week 1. Marc Bulger(StL) - Week 1 against the 49ers, enough said. Donovan McNabb(Phi) - Has something to prove.
Rising Stars:
JP Losman(Buf) - If he's going to be good this year, the Texans are the team where it will show. Byron Leftwich(Jac) - The Jags are opening up the offense and Seattle always under-performs on the road.
Falling Stars:
Ben Roethlisberger(Pit) - He hasn't looked good since the end of the regular season last year, and he was never big in Fantasy play, anyway. He shouldn't even be on your roster. Drew Brees(SD) - He comes back to earth this year. Michael Vick(Atl) - Seriously, he shouldn't be on a fantasy roster in leagues smaller than 12 teams.
Running Backs
STARS:
Corey Dillon(NE) - Against that Raiders D, and wanting to control the clock, Belichik will use Dillon. Mike Anderson(Den) - This might be wishful thinking, but I think Anderson will have a big day at Miami. He still has Bell breathing down his back. Steven Jackson(StL) - A great pre-season and now he opens against the 49ers. This could be the best back to have in week 1. Curtis Martin(NYJ) - The KC defense couldn't stop...me!
Rising Stars:
Willie Parker(Pit) - He's the first week starter, and Big Ben is struggling. The Steelers will lean on Parker. Carnell (Cadillac) Williams(TB) - The Vikings defense gave up big yards to top backs in pre-season and they are still gelling. Williams could go big. Stephen Davis(Car) - He's back and he's healthy.
Falling Stars:
Lamont Jordan(Oak) - A lackluster beginning for the over-hyped back. The Patriots will shut him down. Clinton Portis(Was) - He was a disappointment last season and will start out that way again against a tough Bears D.
Receivers and Tight Ends
Stars:
Randy Moss(Oak) - Patriot backfield won't be able to hold him down. Laveranues Coles/Justin McCareins(NYJ) - Should go wild against KC defense and both should be starting. Nate Burleson(Min) - The new Viking playmaker.
Rising Stars:
Deion Branch(NE) - Finished strong last year and should start that way against Oakland D. Reggie Williams(Jac) - Will benefit from opened-up defense and Jimmy Smith double-teams.
Falling Stars:
Hines Ward(Pit) - Ben's struggles will hurt Ward's stats. Antonio Gates(SD) - Dallas' D will focus on stopping him. Marvin Harrison/Brandon Stokley/Reggie Wayne(Ind) - The Ravens at home and they are very motivated.
Defense/Special Teams
STARS: Buffalo Bills - They open at home against a weak Texans offense. Carolina Panthers - The Saints will struggle out of the gate. Pittsburgh Steelers - All 11 starters are back! Baltimore Ravens - I think they're the elite defense this year. Philadelphia Eagles - The real reason the Eagles went to the Super Bowl last year.
Rising Stars: Denver Broncos - No Ricky, no QB, no offense in Miami. Jacksonville Jaguars - Will take advantage of many Seattle mistakes. Arizona Cardinals - They have quietly built a very good defense. Dallas Cowboys - They really looked good in the pre-season and San Diego was exposed a bit in the playoffs last year.
Falling Stars: None yet. It is so early in the season that it's hard to get a feel for many of the teams. If I had to pick one, it would be San Diego or Cincinnati.
Stud players like Peyton Manning, Tomlinson, Priest Holmes, etc won't be listed here because they should be starting every week. If a stud is listed here, it is because I think they will have a huge day. Also, no kickers. They are too unpredictable week-to-week.
Quarterbacks
STARS:
Chad Pennington(NYJ) - A gift in week 1 against the lame KC defense. Daunte Culpepper(Min) - This is a no-brainer every week, but I think Daunte will be HUGE in week 1. Marc Bulger(StL) - Week 1 against the 49ers, enough said. Donovan McNabb(Phi) - Has something to prove.
Rising Stars:
JP Losman(Buf) - If he's going to be good this year, the Texans are the team where it will show. Byron Leftwich(Jac) - The Jags are opening up the offense and Seattle always under-performs on the road.
Falling Stars:
Ben Roethlisberger(Pit) - He hasn't looked good since the end of the regular season last year, and he was never big in Fantasy play, anyway. He shouldn't even be on your roster. Drew Brees(SD) - He comes back to earth this year. Michael Vick(Atl) - Seriously, he shouldn't be on a fantasy roster in leagues smaller than 12 teams.
Running Backs
STARS:
Corey Dillon(NE) - Against that Raiders D, and wanting to control the clock, Belichik will use Dillon. Mike Anderson(Den) - This might be wishful thinking, but I think Anderson will have a big day at Miami. He still has Bell breathing down his back. Steven Jackson(StL) - A great pre-season and now he opens against the 49ers. This could be the best back to have in week 1. Curtis Martin(NYJ) - The KC defense couldn't stop...me!
Rising Stars:
Willie Parker(Pit) - He's the first week starter, and Big Ben is struggling. The Steelers will lean on Parker. Carnell (Cadillac) Williams(TB) - The Vikings defense gave up big yards to top backs in pre-season and they are still gelling. Williams could go big. Stephen Davis(Car) - He's back and he's healthy.
Falling Stars:
Lamont Jordan(Oak) - A lackluster beginning for the over-hyped back. The Patriots will shut him down. Clinton Portis(Was) - He was a disappointment last season and will start out that way again against a tough Bears D.
Receivers and Tight Ends
Stars:
Randy Moss(Oak) - Patriot backfield won't be able to hold him down. Laveranues Coles/Justin McCareins(NYJ) - Should go wild against KC defense and both should be starting. Nate Burleson(Min) - The new Viking playmaker.
Rising Stars:
Deion Branch(NE) - Finished strong last year and should start that way against Oakland D. Reggie Williams(Jac) - Will benefit from opened-up defense and Jimmy Smith double-teams.
Falling Stars:
Hines Ward(Pit) - Ben's struggles will hurt Ward's stats. Antonio Gates(SD) - Dallas' D will focus on stopping him. Marvin Harrison/Brandon Stokley/Reggie Wayne(Ind) - The Ravens at home and they are very motivated.
Defense/Special Teams
STARS: Buffalo Bills - They open at home against a weak Texans offense. Carolina Panthers - The Saints will struggle out of the gate. Pittsburgh Steelers - All 11 starters are back! Baltimore Ravens - I think they're the elite defense this year. Philadelphia Eagles - The real reason the Eagles went to the Super Bowl last year.
Rising Stars: Denver Broncos - No Ricky, no QB, no offense in Miami. Jacksonville Jaguars - Will take advantage of many Seattle mistakes. Arizona Cardinals - They have quietly built a very good defense. Dallas Cowboys - They really looked good in the pre-season and San Diego was exposed a bit in the playoffs last year.
Falling Stars: None yet. It is so early in the season that it's hard to get a feel for many of the teams. If I had to pick one, it would be San Diego or Cincinnati.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Vikings Are Super Bowl Contenders
The Vikings' season starts Sunday against Tampa Bay. The Purple nation is hoping it ends in Detroit. I have seen predictions on the Vikings range from 2nd in their division to Super Bowl contenders.
There are 4 factors that determine a team's success in the NFL; talent, coaching, strength of schedule, and strength of conference, in that order.
The Vikings have some of the best talent in the league. Offensively, this team can compete with any team in the league. I rank only Indianapolis' offense higher than Minnesota's.
Defensively, the Vikings are a question mark. There are a lot of new players, but they are all talented. This will not be the porous, easily-moved defense of last year. The real question on defense, though, is how fast they come together and start playing as a team. If it happens fast, the Vikings will dominate the NFC. But, experience and common sense say it will take 4-6 weeks for the defense to start playing to their potential.
Special teams should also be much improved over last season. Which goes a long way toward helping the defense improve and the offense to score.
Coaching is the second big factor. Any coaching staff that produces the late season collapses the Vikings have experienced the last 2 seasons is suspect at best. The Vikings have new coordinators on offense and defense, which means a lot of adjusting to do. And Head Coach Mike Tice has a very questionable track record of game day decisions. He also presided over the failure-to-make-a-draft-selection-on-time fiasco. And don't forget the "Randy Ratio", in which Tice publicly aired his game plan to the entire league prior to the season starting 2 years ago.
Mike Tice has become a very good Monday-Saturday coach. He needs to become much better on game day, but I have my doubts about that happening. He is too conservative on the road and late in games, and has shown an inability to maintain a ground game outside of the Metrodome.
The Vikings play a fairly strong schedule this year. Outside of their division, they play only 3 of last year's playoff teams, but they also play the Ravens and Panthers, both of whom are healthy and improved, and both are capable of making a Super Bowl run of their own. Overall, the Vikes play half of their schedule against teams that were 8-8 or better last year. For an NFC team, that's a tough schedule.
The schedule may be a bit tough, but it is definitely not overwhelming. The Vikings have the talent to win 10-13 games on this schedule.
The NFC showed last year that it is very weak. A Falcons team with questionable defense and no discernible passing game made it easily to the championship game. Even the Vikings, with that late-season collapse and pathetic defensive play, made it to the 2nd round of the NFC playoffs.
The NFC will improve overall this year. The Panthers are healthy, the Cowboys and Redskins are both well-coached and improved, the Lions have made strides toward competitiveness, and the Cardinals could be a force in the playoffs, too. Given all that, the NFC playoffs will be very different and more competitive this year.
Finally, the bottom line is this, the Vikings will struggle at times, but they should be able to pull out a 10-6 or 11-5 season. Either of those records should win the division and send the Vikings to the playoffs.
The Vikings have the talent to win 13 games. They play in a weak division in a weak conference, and have a strong schedule. I see them getting to the 2nd round of the playoffs and probably the NFC Championship game. But I think the game-day coaching will hold this team back and stop them a little short of the Super Bowl. I hope I am wrong, but I've seen nothing in the past 3 years to suggest this is a Super Bowl-caliber coaching staff.
The Vikings are Super Bowl contenders, but just barely. If Tice opens up and gets more aggressive in his play-calling, anything could happen.
There are 4 factors that determine a team's success in the NFL; talent, coaching, strength of schedule, and strength of conference, in that order.
The Vikings have some of the best talent in the league. Offensively, this team can compete with any team in the league. I rank only Indianapolis' offense higher than Minnesota's.
Defensively, the Vikings are a question mark. There are a lot of new players, but they are all talented. This will not be the porous, easily-moved defense of last year. The real question on defense, though, is how fast they come together and start playing as a team. If it happens fast, the Vikings will dominate the NFC. But, experience and common sense say it will take 4-6 weeks for the defense to start playing to their potential.
Special teams should also be much improved over last season. Which goes a long way toward helping the defense improve and the offense to score.
Coaching is the second big factor. Any coaching staff that produces the late season collapses the Vikings have experienced the last 2 seasons is suspect at best. The Vikings have new coordinators on offense and defense, which means a lot of adjusting to do. And Head Coach Mike Tice has a very questionable track record of game day decisions. He also presided over the failure-to-make-a-draft-selection-on-time fiasco. And don't forget the "Randy Ratio", in which Tice publicly aired his game plan to the entire league prior to the season starting 2 years ago.
Mike Tice has become a very good Monday-Saturday coach. He needs to become much better on game day, but I have my doubts about that happening. He is too conservative on the road and late in games, and has shown an inability to maintain a ground game outside of the Metrodome.
The Vikings play a fairly strong schedule this year. Outside of their division, they play only 3 of last year's playoff teams, but they also play the Ravens and Panthers, both of whom are healthy and improved, and both are capable of making a Super Bowl run of their own. Overall, the Vikes play half of their schedule against teams that were 8-8 or better last year. For an NFC team, that's a tough schedule.
The schedule may be a bit tough, but it is definitely not overwhelming. The Vikings have the talent to win 10-13 games on this schedule.
The NFC showed last year that it is very weak. A Falcons team with questionable defense and no discernible passing game made it easily to the championship game. Even the Vikings, with that late-season collapse and pathetic defensive play, made it to the 2nd round of the NFC playoffs.
The NFC will improve overall this year. The Panthers are healthy, the Cowboys and Redskins are both well-coached and improved, the Lions have made strides toward competitiveness, and the Cardinals could be a force in the playoffs, too. Given all that, the NFC playoffs will be very different and more competitive this year.
Finally, the bottom line is this, the Vikings will struggle at times, but they should be able to pull out a 10-6 or 11-5 season. Either of those records should win the division and send the Vikings to the playoffs.
The Vikings have the talent to win 13 games. They play in a weak division in a weak conference, and have a strong schedule. I see them getting to the 2nd round of the playoffs and probably the NFC Championship game. But I think the game-day coaching will hold this team back and stop them a little short of the Super Bowl. I hope I am wrong, but I've seen nothing in the past 3 years to suggest this is a Super Bowl-caliber coaching staff.
The Vikings are Super Bowl contenders, but just barely. If Tice opens up and gets more aggressive in his play-calling, anything could happen.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Mixing Politics and Football is a Bad Idea
I really don't like bringing politics into my blog, but it is hard to avoid when the NFL Kickoff Weekend Show looks like this; Bush-bashing Rolling Stones, Green Day, and Kanye West are headlining the entertainment.
From LaToya Jackson to this. Does the NFL really believe this kind of "entertainment" is going to draw a bigger audience? They might want to check out the box-office numbers from this past summer.
If you lean to the left politically, tune in and enjoy the show. If you lean to the right, just do what we always do; ignore the crap and tune in for the football game.
My suggestion for the NFL would be to cancel this "show" and put on a huge benefit for the Hurricane Katrina victims. And ban all political commentary. We want less finger-pointing and more of this and this and this.
By the way, if you haven't contributed to hurricane relief yet, please find a way. My family is taking part in a neighborhood garage and bake sale and we are donating the proceeds to the Red Cross. Every little bit helps
From LaToya Jackson to this. Does the NFL really believe this kind of "entertainment" is going to draw a bigger audience? They might want to check out the box-office numbers from this past summer.
If you lean to the left politically, tune in and enjoy the show. If you lean to the right, just do what we always do; ignore the crap and tune in for the football game.
My suggestion for the NFL would be to cancel this "show" and put on a huge benefit for the Hurricane Katrina victims. And ban all political commentary. We want less finger-pointing and more of this and this and this.
By the way, if you haven't contributed to hurricane relief yet, please find a way. My family is taking part in a neighborhood garage and bake sale and we are donating the proceeds to the Red Cross. Every little bit helps
Monday, September 05, 2005
The Greatest Ever Retires
Jerry Rice retired rather than play 4th string for the Broncos. He retired with class and professionalism. Players who only worked a single pre-season with Rice shed tears at his departure. That says more about him than anything people will say or write.
It's a sad day for football fans. Rice leaves a thousand memories behind. No player will ever again play at this level, with this class, for this long. Ever.
Players like T.O., Randy Moss, and the countless other buffoons pretending to be great players in the NFL should learn something from Rice's career. The fans want effort, results, a winning attitude, and results without the self-aggrandizing and infuriating behavior of today's athlete's. They should learn from Rice, but they won't.
It is sad to see Jerry Rice go. It is even sadder to look who's he's leaving behind for us to watch every Sunday.
It's a sad day for football fans. Rice leaves a thousand memories behind. No player will ever again play at this level, with this class, for this long. Ever.
Players like T.O., Randy Moss, and the countless other buffoons pretending to be great players in the NFL should learn something from Rice's career. The fans want effort, results, a winning attitude, and results without the self-aggrandizing and infuriating behavior of today's athlete's. They should learn from Rice, but they won't.
It is sad to see Jerry Rice go. It is even sadder to look who's he's leaving behind for us to watch every Sunday.
Friday, September 02, 2005
The Morning After
My Fantasy League held their draft last night, and, as usual, it has left me a bit apprehensive. I never feel great about my team, it could always be better. We have a 10-team league and I had the 9th pick, so I knew the players I really wanted would be gone before I picked.
Manning, Culpepper and McNabb went in the top 7, and 5 RBs were also taken in front of me. I don't like T.O., so I picked up Steven Jackson at #9, then followed 3 picks later with Julius Jones. These guys would usually be mid-2 to 3rd round picks, but in my position I couldn't afford to wait. These were the best 2 RBs available, and the best at other positions could wait.
There was a small run on QBs in the 3rd round, so I figured it was safe to wait. Our league uses a flex player, so I went after another RB, Mike Anderson, followed in the 4th round by Nate Burleson. Burleson is a 3rd-year receiver and Moss is gone, so getting him here was excellent.
In round 5 Jake Delhomme was still on the board and I knew he wouldn't last much longer, so I nabbed him. In the 6th I made my first big reach, taking Larry Johnson. I am not hoping Priest Holmes gets hurt or anything (ok, maybe just a high ankle sprain), but if he does, I could have some stud RBs and great trade bait.
The 7th round saw some Defenses starting to go. I was hoping to get Baltimore here, but the Ravens and Bills both went before me. I took the Panthers. I then followed up with Deion Branch, a very good pick up this late.
From there on out it was speculation, as usual. I grabbed Tatum Bell for insurance, and Houshmandzadeh and Donte Stallworth. I also grabbed Stephen Davis in the 13th round. If he's healthy, this was a huge steal.
Overall, I would say I drafted a lot of potential. My lineup won't be scaring anyone early in the season, but if my RBs produce as I think they will, my team will be scaring people by midseason. I am not a proponent of taking 2 RBs with the first picks, but with Manning, Culpepper, and McNabb all gone, I had little choice.
Feel free to comment on my lineup, everyone in my league did!
Manning, Culpepper and McNabb went in the top 7, and 5 RBs were also taken in front of me. I don't like T.O., so I picked up Steven Jackson at #9, then followed 3 picks later with Julius Jones. These guys would usually be mid-2 to 3rd round picks, but in my position I couldn't afford to wait. These were the best 2 RBs available, and the best at other positions could wait.
There was a small run on QBs in the 3rd round, so I figured it was safe to wait. Our league uses a flex player, so I went after another RB, Mike Anderson, followed in the 4th round by Nate Burleson. Burleson is a 3rd-year receiver and Moss is gone, so getting him here was excellent.
In round 5 Jake Delhomme was still on the board and I knew he wouldn't last much longer, so I nabbed him. In the 6th I made my first big reach, taking Larry Johnson. I am not hoping Priest Holmes gets hurt or anything (ok, maybe just a high ankle sprain), but if he does, I could have some stud RBs and great trade bait.
The 7th round saw some Defenses starting to go. I was hoping to get Baltimore here, but the Ravens and Bills both went before me. I took the Panthers. I then followed up with Deion Branch, a very good pick up this late.
From there on out it was speculation, as usual. I grabbed Tatum Bell for insurance, and Houshmandzadeh and Donte Stallworth. I also grabbed Stephen Davis in the 13th round. If he's healthy, this was a huge steal.
Overall, I would say I drafted a lot of potential. My lineup won't be scaring anyone early in the season, but if my RBs produce as I think they will, my team will be scaring people by midseason. I am not a proponent of taking 2 RBs with the first picks, but with Manning, Culpepper, and McNabb all gone, I had little choice.
Feel free to comment on my lineup, everyone in my league did!
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Bold Predictions for 2005
Everyone is posting their predictions for who will be in the Super Bowl and who will make playoffs and win divisions. I believe this is a bit foolish, so I will wait with that until there have been a couple of games actually played.
Having said that, I do have a few predictions for the upcoming season.
Having said that, I do have a few predictions for the upcoming season.
- Randy Moss will find out how much Daunte Culpepper meant to his career.
- Michael Vick will be over-hyped to 1,000th degree and fail to score 20 TDs. Again.
- The Colts will win a bunch of games (weakest schedule in league, my opinion), win their division, gain home-field advantage in playoffs, and choke. Again. Defense wins Championships!
- Oakland fans will learn that Kerry Collins is no Daunte Culpepper. Moss will struggle. And the Raiders will finish no higher than 3rd in West.
- The Patriots have a legit chance at a 3-peat, but I think they will come up a bit short.
- The Vikings will make it to the NFC Championship. It will be close in the 4th quarter. Mike Tice will then mismanage the clock, fail to challenge a play, or fail to go for a 4th-and-short in their opponents' territory, and the Vikings will lose.
- The Ravens will knock Pittsburgh out of the top spot, and possibly the Patriots out of the playoffs.
- The Cowboys are going to have a great season. But no SB.
- The Broncos will rush for 2,200 yards and not have a 1,100 yard rusher. Three good backs, one football, figure it out.
- Paul Maguire will say something stupid in the broadcast booth. Every week!
- The Cardinals will win the West.
- It will be discovered that Terrell Owens has a not-so-rare brain disease. He will be officially declared "STUPID".
- The Saints will play well, helping to revive the hurricane-ravaged city of New Orleans. The Saints/Cardinals playoff game will feature a salute to the people of New Orleans. Go Saints!
- The BCS will manage to hose at least one college football program. Again!!! Hundreds of ridiculous people claiming to be football fans will rush to the BCS' defense screaming "We don't need a playoff, just tweak the formula!!"
- Shannon Sharpe will use his position on television to tear down someone who has helped him in his career. He's such a classy guy!
- Everybody predicting a Colts Super Bowl victory this year will be banished from football punditry for life. Never has a team with a crappy defense won a Super Bowl. Never!
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Fantasy Football Changes Things
Fantasy Football has been around a long time, I have been playing since 1991. I recently realized how completely Fantasy Football has changed me and the way I watch and perceive football. And some of it is kinda ugly!! But I have 2 days until my league's draft and I intend to be there.
Here are some signs that Fantasy Football has become more than it should be. If see yourself in here, can therapy be far behind? I'll see you there.
* I used to watch the Broncos beginning-to-end, no matter what. Now I find myself sneaking glimpses of Chicago/SF. (What the hell is Barlow's problem?!?!?)
* I find myself hoping players get hurt. This is the ugly part. And don't deny that you have done it, too! If you love Fantasy Football you have done this. Don't think so? How many backup RBs do you have on your roster when you don't own the starter? If you drafted Larry Johnson, but not Priest Holmes (as I might do), then you are hoping Holmes gets hurt, because that means LJ goes bonkers and you ride him to the championship!! That's just sick...
* And if you have Holmes but not LJ, and LJ is getting a few too many carries...
* I spend $150 a year on Sunday Ticket without blinking, but bitch about spending $15 per child on school supplies.
* I now root for a team and against it in the same game.
* I want my teams to win, but I also want them to relinquish a few big plays to that WR I have playing against them.
* I am thisclose to drafting a Raider!!! Just shoot me now...
* I have actually uttered this phrase: "Yes! No, not him. Dammit. Oh well, at least they scored."
* Terrell Owens and Randy Moss are only scumbags if they're not on your team. If they are on your team, they are just "misunderstood".
Here are some signs that Fantasy Football has become more than it should be. If see yourself in here, can therapy be far behind? I'll see you there.
* I used to watch the Broncos beginning-to-end, no matter what. Now I find myself sneaking glimpses of Chicago/SF. (What the hell is Barlow's problem?!?!?)
* I find myself hoping players get hurt. This is the ugly part. And don't deny that you have done it, too! If you love Fantasy Football you have done this. Don't think so? How many backup RBs do you have on your roster when you don't own the starter? If you drafted Larry Johnson, but not Priest Holmes (as I might do), then you are hoping Holmes gets hurt, because that means LJ goes bonkers and you ride him to the championship!! That's just sick...
* And if you have Holmes but not LJ, and LJ is getting a few too many carries...
* I spend $150 a year on Sunday Ticket without blinking, but bitch about spending $15 per child on school supplies.
* I now root for a team and against it in the same game.
* I want my teams to win, but I also want them to relinquish a few big plays to that WR I have playing against them.
* I am thisclose to drafting a Raider!!! Just shoot me now...
* I have actually uttered this phrase: "Yes! No, not him. Dammit. Oh well, at least they scored."
* Terrell Owens and Randy Moss are only scumbags if they're not on your team. If they are on your team, they are just "misunderstood".
Monday, August 29, 2005
Dr Z Thinks So, Too
I have always said that Mike Tice is a good football coach, just not on Sundays. The press in Minnesota won't say it, apparently they would rather blame Moss for everything. But Dr Z agrees with me. That's not bad company to be in.
Monday Highlight Reel: Preseason Week 3
Only one more week of preseason football. We are finally getting there! Some teams are showing promise, some should be getting worried.
The Jaguars need Fred Taylor to stay healthy and have a good year, there is little depth behind him. They have some work to do offensively.
Eagles fans can relax a bit. Although you can't count on T.O. for much, he does come to play. But what Philly really needs to get back to the Super Bowl is looking very good, and that is their defense. I said last year that the defense was more of a reason than T.O. for their SB appearance, and I think it could carry them back again.
Pittsburgh should be getting a bit worried by now. Staley is hurt again, Bettis can't carry a full load all season, and Roethlisberger looks more like a rookie than he did last year. And Burress is gone with nobody stepping up to take his place. Their only hope might be the defense, which is capable of shutting teams down.
The Redskins are looking much better than last year. But Ramsey still looks like Ramsey.
Daunte Culpepper is having his best preseason ever! Burleson looks like an explosion waiting to happen. The only question for the Vikes is at RB, where Bennett has been a bit disappointing and is banged up again. Mewelde Moore could be looking at a big season. The defense still has some gellin' to do, but the offense should be putting up enough points to allow the defense to come around during the season.
The Chargers offense looks good, but defense might be suspect.
Has Losman thrown a TD pass yet?
New England looks ready to play, but the Packers are in big trouble!
The Ravens may be the team to beat this year. Defense is back! Boller is only question mark.
The Cardinals will be a force in the NFC West. Which may not be saying much. They are playing pretty good football and Warner is doing a decent job when he gets time. The defense also looks very good.
Julius Jones is picking up where he left off last year and the Cowboys may have some defense this year. The NFC East is suddenly looking very competitive.
The Broncos' backfield is looking pretty crowded! Mike Anderson looks to be the starter, but Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne are really having great preseasons, too. Not sure how this will shake out, but the Denver running game is as good as ever.
Kansas City has a choice to make at RB. Larry Johnson showed last year that he could carry the load and he is showing it again. They can't possibly keep this guy on the bench much longer.
The Jaguars need Fred Taylor to stay healthy and have a good year, there is little depth behind him. They have some work to do offensively.
Eagles fans can relax a bit. Although you can't count on T.O. for much, he does come to play. But what Philly really needs to get back to the Super Bowl is looking very good, and that is their defense. I said last year that the defense was more of a reason than T.O. for their SB appearance, and I think it could carry them back again.
Pittsburgh should be getting a bit worried by now. Staley is hurt again, Bettis can't carry a full load all season, and Roethlisberger looks more like a rookie than he did last year. And Burress is gone with nobody stepping up to take his place. Their only hope might be the defense, which is capable of shutting teams down.
The Redskins are looking much better than last year. But Ramsey still looks like Ramsey.
Daunte Culpepper is having his best preseason ever! Burleson looks like an explosion waiting to happen. The only question for the Vikes is at RB, where Bennett has been a bit disappointing and is banged up again. Mewelde Moore could be looking at a big season. The defense still has some gellin' to do, but the offense should be putting up enough points to allow the defense to come around during the season.
The Chargers offense looks good, but defense might be suspect.
Has Losman thrown a TD pass yet?
New England looks ready to play, but the Packers are in big trouble!
The Ravens may be the team to beat this year. Defense is back! Boller is only question mark.
The Cardinals will be a force in the NFC West. Which may not be saying much. They are playing pretty good football and Warner is doing a decent job when he gets time. The defense also looks very good.
Julius Jones is picking up where he left off last year and the Cowboys may have some defense this year. The NFC East is suddenly looking very competitive.
The Broncos' backfield is looking pretty crowded! Mike Anderson looks to be the starter, but Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne are really having great preseasons, too. Not sure how this will shake out, but the Denver running game is as good as ever.
Kansas City has a choice to make at RB. Larry Johnson showed last year that he could carry the load and he is showing it again. They can't possibly keep this guy on the bench much longer.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Sunday Morning Highlight Reel
The highlight reel is something new this season. It is simply a few observations from the previous week's (or night's) games.
Thoughts and prayers for the Herrion family.
Have you ever seen so many empty stadiums while real NFL players were playing football?
Patrick Ramsey throws the slowest passes in the NFL. This may be some sort of optical illusion caused by the combination of colors in Redskins uniforms, but I don't think so. His passes actually seem to be going in slow-motion... during the live part of the telecast.
Pre-season scores are so misleading. For example, the Patriots' starters left at halftime with a 24-16 lead. The Saints won 37-27. New Orleans got a moral victory, but does anyone really believe the Patriots would lose to the Saints when it counted?
Roethlisberger still looks rookie-ish. Draft Bettis!
The Vikings aren't missing Randy Moss. Burleson, Taylor, and Robinson looked REALLY good. But penalties are still a big part of Vikings' games.
I like the new Cardinals uniforms and the new angrier bird logo. But what really makes them unrecognizable is their many appearances in the end zone.
Is the Raiders' offense that good, or is the Texans' defense still that bad? The Bronco fan in me says the Texans are still that bad. Manning should get 10 TDs against the Houston defense this year.
Eli Manning went 3/9 for 150 yards and 2 TDs. Subtract his 2 TD passes and it looks like this; 1/7 for 19 yards. I guess this is what they mean by 'flashes of brilliance'.
McNabb went 6/9 for 107 yards. Without T.O. In 1.5 quarters. Good luck with that new contract T.O.
Don't look now, but the Broncos are scoring TDs from inside the 10. They went 2 for 3 against the Niners, 67%. That's about 5 times as good as their percentage was last year.
Speaking of Broncos, their battle at the running back position is incredible. Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell, and Ron Dayne are all putting up big numbers. And it is really messing up my Fantasy Draft RB list. Whoever becomes the starter should have a big year.
And let me be the first; Goodbye Mr. Clarett, is was interesting.
Thoughts and prayers for the Herrion family.
Have you ever seen so many empty stadiums while real NFL players were playing football?
Patrick Ramsey throws the slowest passes in the NFL. This may be some sort of optical illusion caused by the combination of colors in Redskins uniforms, but I don't think so. His passes actually seem to be going in slow-motion... during the live part of the telecast.
Pre-season scores are so misleading. For example, the Patriots' starters left at halftime with a 24-16 lead. The Saints won 37-27. New Orleans got a moral victory, but does anyone really believe the Patriots would lose to the Saints when it counted?
Roethlisberger still looks rookie-ish. Draft Bettis!
The Vikings aren't missing Randy Moss. Burleson, Taylor, and Robinson looked REALLY good. But penalties are still a big part of Vikings' games.
I like the new Cardinals uniforms and the new angrier bird logo. But what really makes them unrecognizable is their many appearances in the end zone.
Is the Raiders' offense that good, or is the Texans' defense still that bad? The Bronco fan in me says the Texans are still that bad. Manning should get 10 TDs against the Houston defense this year.
Eli Manning went 3/9 for 150 yards and 2 TDs. Subtract his 2 TD passes and it looks like this; 1/7 for 19 yards. I guess this is what they mean by 'flashes of brilliance'.
McNabb went 6/9 for 107 yards. Without T.O. In 1.5 quarters. Good luck with that new contract T.O.
Don't look now, but the Broncos are scoring TDs from inside the 10. They went 2 for 3 against the Niners, 67%. That's about 5 times as good as their percentage was last year.
Speaking of Broncos, their battle at the running back position is incredible. Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell, and Ron Dayne are all putting up big numbers. And it is really messing up my Fantasy Draft RB list. Whoever becomes the starter should have a big year.
And let me be the first; Goodbye Mr. Clarett, is was interesting.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Open Mouth, Insert Foot, Again
Randy Moss is at it again. He said he smokes pot once in a blue moon or once in a while, but is now saying it was past tense. Moss has never been the brightest bulb in the silverware drawer, but to talk to cameras this way is beyond stupid.
I bet the Raiders are sure glad they got him. We sure aren't missing Moss in Minnesota!
I bet the Raiders are sure glad they got him. We sure aren't missing Moss in Minnesota!
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Top Fantasy RBs; No Rookies
We are still seeing a lot of people pushing the "draft 2 running backs first" theory, but there is more depth at this position this year than there has been in many years. If you can get one of the top 10-12, get them, but don't pass on a Manning or Culpepper just to follow that theory.
I am not big on drafting rookies for any position. They are unreliable and usually burn out early in the season, making your playoff run weaker. If you are in a keeper league, that is different, but I'm not. So here's my list, rookie-free.
My scoring system is 7 points for a rush or receiving TD, and 1 point for every 25 yards rushing. Numbers in parantheses are the Real Value of that player.
Top 10:
1. Priest Holmes (165) - If he stays healthy, he is still the best back to have
2. LaDainian Tomlinson (112) - More reliable than Holmes, but would still get outscored by him in a full season.
3. Shaun Alexander (110) - Only problem is that he scores points in bursts, then has some low weeks, very inconsistent
4. Domanick Davis (85) - If he stays healthy he's top 5
5. Julius Jones (80) - A whole season running for Parcells, he could have a huge season
6. Tiki Barber (75) - The Giants make me nervous, and Barber is a risk
7. Corey Dillon (70) - Should have a season much like last year, this should be a very safe pick, should probably even be moved ahead of Barber
8. Willis McGahee (60) - A good choice, but you'll hold your breath a lot waiting for him to get up, he's already tweaked his legs twice this pre-season
9. Curtis Martin (60) - He'll go higher in most leagues, but eventually his age will start to show
10. Edgerrin James (55) - He'll produce better this season, every team the Colts play will gear up to slow the passing game, James should benefit, and they play a very weak schedule
Second Tier
Brian Westbrook - T.O. on the field helps Westbrook, no T.O. Westbrook drops a bit, Buckhalter is also back and could take some touches away
Rudi Johnson- Should be as good as last year or better, an improved passing game would open things up for him
Deuce McAllister - Very steady and consistent
Clinton Portis - The Redskins are doing things much different this year and Portis will benefit big time, remember that Gibbs makes great runners
Kevin Jones - He'll carry a bigger load this year and his numbers should improve a lot
Steven Jackson - Watch him during pre-season, he should be top 10 if he's getting the carries and receptions in the first quarter
Backs to Watch
Larry Johnson (Chiefs) - If Priest Holmes goes down, Johnson becomes a top 5 back. He may be worth a 2nd round pick.
Jamal Lewis - Was not at the top of his game last year. But he is capable of putting up huge numbers
Stephen Davis/Panther's starter - Whoever ends up starting in Carolina will be a good back to have. If Davis is healthy he's great to have. Get some insurance though.
Michael Bennett - My sleeper of the year. Bennett has been on the brink of greatness for 2 years, but injuries keep taking him out. Worth the risk this year.
Ahman Green - Keep an eye on the Packers in pre-season. The o-line isn't what is was and Green's numbers will probably drop off this year.
Chris Brown/Travis Henry - Brown is a good back to have, but Henry would be better. Need to watch how this goes. If they both stay healthy all year it lowers both of their values.
I am not big on drafting rookies for any position. They are unreliable and usually burn out early in the season, making your playoff run weaker. If you are in a keeper league, that is different, but I'm not. So here's my list, rookie-free.
My scoring system is 7 points for a rush or receiving TD, and 1 point for every 25 yards rushing. Numbers in parantheses are the Real Value of that player.
Top 10:
1. Priest Holmes (165) - If he stays healthy, he is still the best back to have
2. LaDainian Tomlinson (112) - More reliable than Holmes, but would still get outscored by him in a full season.
3. Shaun Alexander (110) - Only problem is that he scores points in bursts, then has some low weeks, very inconsistent
4. Domanick Davis (85) - If he stays healthy he's top 5
5. Julius Jones (80) - A whole season running for Parcells, he could have a huge season
6. Tiki Barber (75) - The Giants make me nervous, and Barber is a risk
7. Corey Dillon (70) - Should have a season much like last year, this should be a very safe pick, should probably even be moved ahead of Barber
8. Willis McGahee (60) - A good choice, but you'll hold your breath a lot waiting for him to get up, he's already tweaked his legs twice this pre-season
9. Curtis Martin (60) - He'll go higher in most leagues, but eventually his age will start to show
10. Edgerrin James (55) - He'll produce better this season, every team the Colts play will gear up to slow the passing game, James should benefit, and they play a very weak schedule
Second Tier
Brian Westbrook - T.O. on the field helps Westbrook, no T.O. Westbrook drops a bit, Buckhalter is also back and could take some touches away
Rudi Johnson- Should be as good as last year or better, an improved passing game would open things up for him
Deuce McAllister - Very steady and consistent
Clinton Portis - The Redskins are doing things much different this year and Portis will benefit big time, remember that Gibbs makes great runners
Kevin Jones - He'll carry a bigger load this year and his numbers should improve a lot
Steven Jackson - Watch him during pre-season, he should be top 10 if he's getting the carries and receptions in the first quarter
Backs to Watch
Larry Johnson (Chiefs) - If Priest Holmes goes down, Johnson becomes a top 5 back. He may be worth a 2nd round pick.
Jamal Lewis - Was not at the top of his game last year. But he is capable of putting up huge numbers
Stephen Davis/Panther's starter - Whoever ends up starting in Carolina will be a good back to have. If Davis is healthy he's great to have. Get some insurance though.
Michael Bennett - My sleeper of the year. Bennett has been on the brink of greatness for 2 years, but injuries keep taking him out. Worth the risk this year.
Ahman Green - Keep an eye on the Packers in pre-season. The o-line isn't what is was and Green's numbers will probably drop off this year.
Chris Brown/Travis Henry - Brown is a good back to have, but Henry would be better. Need to watch how this goes. If they both stay healthy all year it lowers both of their values.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Top Fantasy QBs, Hint: It Ain't Vick
Eveybody else does, so why not me? Just remember, this is for Fantasy Football, and my scoring system gives 5 points for a passing TD, 7 for a rushing TD, 1 point for every 50 yards passing and 1 for every 25 rushing. The number is parantheses is the player's real value. Think of real value as how many more points a player will score than the average player will score over the entire season.
Top 10
1. Peyton Manning (110) - Just look at his schedule and you'll see why
2. Daunte Culpepper (90) - Very little drop-off without Moss, may even be better
3. Donovan McNabb (35) - He still has Westbrook and a dominating defense helping him
4. Marc Bulger (28) - If Eagles fiasco continues, move Bulger ahead of McNabb
5. Jake Delhomme (20) - The Panthers are healthy again, Delhomme should be much better this year
6. Trent Green (10) - Green is always among the top QBs, nothing changes this year
7. Kerry Collins (5) - Moss will make him better, but he's still no Culpepper
8. Brett Favre (5) - If that bad o-line doesn't let him get killed first
9. Jake Plummer (0) - Yes he belongs in top 10, if he was better on the road he'd be top 5
T10. Drew Brees (-5) - Repeat of last year is unlikely, but should still be good pick.
T10. Tom Brady (-5) - In NFL he's #1, in fantasy, this is where he belongs
On the Verge
Carson Palmer - Very good backup to have, could be a breakout year
Matt Hasselbeck - All he needs is a receiver who can actually catch a pass
Kurt Warner - I know, I know... but think of the possibilities
Joey Harrington - It's boom or bust year, and he has the weapons to succeed
Over-Rated
Michael Vick - He's 18th on my list, and that might be high
Ben Roethlisberger - Sophomore jinx, running team, you figure it out
Steve McNair - If his Fantasy value was as big as his heart, he'd be #1, too many injuries
Top 10
1. Peyton Manning (110) - Just look at his schedule and you'll see why
2. Daunte Culpepper (90) - Very little drop-off without Moss, may even be better
3. Donovan McNabb (35) - He still has Westbrook and a dominating defense helping him
4. Marc Bulger (28) - If Eagles fiasco continues, move Bulger ahead of McNabb
5. Jake Delhomme (20) - The Panthers are healthy again, Delhomme should be much better this year
6. Trent Green (10) - Green is always among the top QBs, nothing changes this year
7. Kerry Collins (5) - Moss will make him better, but he's still no Culpepper
8. Brett Favre (5) - If that bad o-line doesn't let him get killed first
9. Jake Plummer (0) - Yes he belongs in top 10, if he was better on the road he'd be top 5
T10. Drew Brees (-5) - Repeat of last year is unlikely, but should still be good pick.
T10. Tom Brady (-5) - In NFL he's #1, in fantasy, this is where he belongs
On the Verge
Carson Palmer - Very good backup to have, could be a breakout year
Matt Hasselbeck - All he needs is a receiver who can actually catch a pass
Kurt Warner - I know, I know... but think of the possibilities
Joey Harrington - It's boom or bust year, and he has the weapons to succeed
Over-Rated
Michael Vick - He's 18th on my list, and that might be high
Ben Roethlisberger - Sophomore jinx, running team, you figure it out
Steve McNair - If his Fantasy value was as big as his heart, he'd be #1, too many injuries
Broncos Start Slow, But Get it Going
The Broncos didn't look very good on those first 2 drives, but they sure put it together after that. The best part of the first scoring drive was seeing the first-teamers get it into the end zone from inside the 10. Red zone scoring was the bane of the Broncos last year.
It was hard to get a feel for the defense, but that is usually the case in preseason. We'll need a couple more weeks to see what the new defense can do.
And it is good to see Jerry Rice moving up the depth chart. And the best battle of the preseason is at running back. Shanahan has never been much for using a big, bruising back to puch it in for short yardage, but with Ron Dayne it is a definite possibility. From a Fantasy viewpoint, it would be worrisome that Dayne would get the short yardage stuff and take away opportunities from the starting back. That's something to watch.
Next game is Rice against his old team. Too bad it doesn't count. It could've been fun.
It was hard to get a feel for the defense, but that is usually the case in preseason. We'll need a couple more weeks to see what the new defense can do.
And it is good to see Jerry Rice moving up the depth chart. And the best battle of the preseason is at running back. Shanahan has never been much for using a big, bruising back to puch it in for short yardage, but with Ron Dayne it is a definite possibility. From a Fantasy viewpoint, it would be worrisome that Dayne would get the short yardage stuff and take away opportunities from the starting back. That's something to watch.
Next game is Rice against his old team. Too bad it doesn't count. It could've been fun.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Vikings Impressive, Defense Coming Along
I don't watch much past the first quarter of a pre-season game. It's a waste of time and really messes up your perception of some players for Fantasy Football. The main thing is to get a feel for how the first teams are coming along.
The Vikings really looked good offensively. Think they missed Moss? Culpepper went 5-6 and a TD! He barely broke a sweat. The Chiefs aren't a very good defense, but Daunte was impressive! And it's good to see Michael Bennett out there at full strength again. This offense will be just as good as last year, maybe better.
Culpepper should be the #2 QB in every Fantasy League, and a case could be made for him to be the #1. He is more consistent week-to-week than Manning, and he will run and score a few on the ground. Nate Burleson looks like he is ready to step up, and we all know that 3rd-year receivers have a way of breaking out.
The defense looked pretty good. They had a few bad plays, but KC has one of the most potent offenses in the league. So holding them(the first stringers) to 3 points is a good sign. The defense will struggle at times. A lot of new faces and a new system will create a lot of mistakes, but they should start getting solid by week 4. And Mewelde Moore looked great on special teams. This could be a BIG year for the Vikings!
It's too early to say Super Bowl, but this team should only be happy with a division championship and a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. Anything less in the weak NFC will be a disappointment.
The Vikings really looked good offensively. Think they missed Moss? Culpepper went 5-6 and a TD! He barely broke a sweat. The Chiefs aren't a very good defense, but Daunte was impressive! And it's good to see Michael Bennett out there at full strength again. This offense will be just as good as last year, maybe better.
Culpepper should be the #2 QB in every Fantasy League, and a case could be made for him to be the #1. He is more consistent week-to-week than Manning, and he will run and score a few on the ground. Nate Burleson looks like he is ready to step up, and we all know that 3rd-year receivers have a way of breaking out.
The defense looked pretty good. They had a few bad plays, but KC has one of the most potent offenses in the league. So holding them(the first stringers) to 3 points is a good sign. The defense will struggle at times. A lot of new faces and a new system will create a lot of mistakes, but they should start getting solid by week 4. And Mewelde Moore looked great on special teams. This could be a BIG year for the Vikings!
It's too early to say Super Bowl, but this team should only be happy with a division championship and a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. Anything less in the weak NFC will be a disappointment.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Things you want to hear at your Fantasy Draft...
Almost every Fantasy Football league has one. Or two. It's the guy who shows up late on draft night, with a magazine and a 6-pack. When asked if he's ready, he pop's a can open and starts looking through the magazine for the cheat sheet, which he promptly rips out of the mag, and then kicks back and announces "I'm ready!"
You don't mind having guys like that in the league. They are perpetual 4-game winners who are always cursing their bad luck. Even though their first 8 draft picks sailed through the season unharmed. Mostly because they were sitting on the bench so much. It is much like having a bye. A bye that counts as a win.
But even the other guys can make some bonehead calls on draft night. Here are a few things you like to hear from the other coaches on draft night, things that signal they are about to do something stupid.
Pre-Draft:
"The Cardinals are the team to beat in the West this year. I got a feeling they're gonna put up monster points!"
1st Round:
"With the third pick, I take Alex Smith! The Niners are back, baby!"
"Ricky Williams will be his old self, I'm taking him!"
2nd Round:
"Nobody took Vick yet!?! Put him up by my name!! I can't believe you guys all passed on Vick. Losers!"
3rd Round:
"I'm taking Tiki Barber's backup as insurance."
4th Round:
"Is it too soon to take a defense?"
5th Round:
"Who's that kicker for the Jets? I'll take him."
7th Round:
"Oh hell, I don't know what to do now!...I'll take Kellen Winslow, Jr.....What!?!....He did!?!?...What a dork!! Can I have my pick back?"
10th Round:
"Man, I've had too much to drink! Can you help me pick?"
14th Round:
"Oh crap!! I don't have a QB yet!!"
You don't mind having guys like that in the league. They are perpetual 4-game winners who are always cursing their bad luck. Even though their first 8 draft picks sailed through the season unharmed. Mostly because they were sitting on the bench so much. It is much like having a bye. A bye that counts as a win.
But even the other guys can make some bonehead calls on draft night. Here are a few things you like to hear from the other coaches on draft night, things that signal they are about to do something stupid.
Pre-Draft:
"The Cardinals are the team to beat in the West this year. I got a feeling they're gonna put up monster points!"
1st Round:
"With the third pick, I take Alex Smith! The Niners are back, baby!"
"Ricky Williams will be his old self, I'm taking him!"
2nd Round:
"Nobody took Vick yet!?! Put him up by my name!! I can't believe you guys all passed on Vick. Losers!"
3rd Round:
"I'm taking Tiki Barber's backup as insurance."
4th Round:
"Is it too soon to take a defense?"
5th Round:
"Who's that kicker for the Jets? I'll take him."
7th Round:
"Oh hell, I don't know what to do now!...I'll take Kellen Winslow, Jr.....What!?!....He did!?!?...What a dork!! Can I have my pick back?"
10th Round:
"Man, I've had too much to drink! Can you help me pick?"
14th Round:
"Oh crap!! I don't have a QB yet!!"
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
You don't usually see this in the Injury Report
This little tidbit from the HOF game. Not that the game really meant much, but it appears AJ Feeley got hurt.
After a very slow start, the Dolphins put together a couple of scoring drives in the second quarter. Gus Frerotte, who replaced A.J. Feeley late in the opening period when Feeley sustained a contusion of the buttocks, threw to Bryan Gilmore at the goal line. Yep, Feeley bruised his ass! I wonder how long he will be out? Will this affect his Fantasy status?
After a very slow start, the Dolphins put together a couple of scoring drives in the second quarter. Gus Frerotte, who replaced A.J. Feeley late in the opening period when Feeley sustained a contusion of the buttocks, threw to Bryan Gilmore at the goal line. Yep, Feeley bruised his ass! I wonder how long he will be out? Will this affect his Fantasy status?
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Gannon resigns, Davis still bitter...
Rich Gannon formally resigned yesterday after a great career. Great for the Raiders, not so much for the other teams he played for.
Al Davis had some nice comments about Gannon, but then he used the occasion to whine, for the 1,017th time, about the (non)fumble by Tom Brady in the playoffs. How many years ago was that, Al? It is still keeping Davis awake at night!
Maybe Al should try and remember that the NFL was forced to change its rules several times because of how the Raiders bent the rules (cheated) so many times over the years. He has forgotten about the "Holy Roller" play (3 broken rules on that one alone), stick'em, and the many injured players the Raiders left in their wake in the 70's and 80's.
For many years the Raiders were the dirtiest team in football. And Madden was a big part of it. Davis' crying is still falling on deaf ears. In fact, some of us Raider-haters revel in their failures and last-minute beatings. The Brady non-fumble and the Immaculate Reception were joyous occasions to be celebrated! Get over it, Al!!
Al Davis had some nice comments about Gannon, but then he used the occasion to whine, for the 1,017th time, about the (non)fumble by Tom Brady in the playoffs. How many years ago was that, Al? It is still keeping Davis awake at night!
Maybe Al should try and remember that the NFL was forced to change its rules several times because of how the Raiders bent the rules (cheated) so many times over the years. He has forgotten about the "Holy Roller" play (3 broken rules on that one alone), stick'em, and the many injured players the Raiders left in their wake in the 70's and 80's.
For many years the Raiders were the dirtiest team in football. And Madden was a big part of it. Davis' crying is still falling on deaf ears. In fact, some of us Raider-haters revel in their failures and last-minute beatings. The Brady non-fumble and the Immaculate Reception were joyous occasions to be celebrated! Get over it, Al!!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Atwater Going To Broncos' Ring of Fame
One of my favorite Bronocos of all time will get his name on the Ring of Fame this season. Steve Atwater was a great player, a great person, and one of the biggest hitters ever.
A lot of people made a big deal about Elway finally getting his Super Bowl rings. But Atwater was around for some of those Super Blowouts, too, so it was equally nice to see him get those rings.
Everyone talks about the hit he made on Christian Okoye while miked up on MNF. He knocked the Nigerian Nightmare backward a few yards and then talked a little smack. Okoye was never the same and disappeared from football shortly after. I don't know if that hit was what changed things for Okoye, but I like to think it was!
A lot of people made a big deal about Elway finally getting his Super Bowl rings. But Atwater was around for some of those Super Blowouts, too, so it was equally nice to see him get those rings.
Everyone talks about the hit he made on Christian Okoye while miked up on MNF. He knocked the Nigerian Nightmare backward a few yards and then talked a little smack. Okoye was never the same and disappeared from football shortly after. I don't know if that hit was what changed things for Okoye, but I like to think it was!
Two Stories Most Of Us Are Sick Of
The worst part of the off-season is hearing the endless droning on a couple of subjects. This year it is Terrell Owens and the Patriots.
Owens reported to camp and refused to talk to reporters. That should be the real story! T.O. not talking!?!? I hope it lasts all season long.
And the Patriots? There is just endless speculation about a 3-peat. You can easily argue both sides, but really, aren't you just getting tired of it? I am a fan of the Patriots and their system and Belichick blah blah blah... But enough is enough, already. Can't we just start the season?
At least we get some actual foortall this weekend. HOF game is better than nothing. Will be good to see Marino go in. He's a good guy. I wish he had gotten at least one Super Bowl win, but it just wasn't in the cards.
Owens reported to camp and refused to talk to reporters. That should be the real story! T.O. not talking!?!? I hope it lasts all season long.
And the Patriots? There is just endless speculation about a 3-peat. You can easily argue both sides, but really, aren't you just getting tired of it? I am a fan of the Patriots and their system and Belichick blah blah blah... But enough is enough, already. Can't we just start the season?
At least we get some actual foortall this weekend. HOF game is better than nothing. Will be good to see Marino go in. He's a good guy. I wish he had gotten at least one Super Bowl win, but it just wasn't in the cards.
Robinson in Rehab
Koren Robinson has checked in for alcohol rehab. This might explain all those dropped passes, but it is really a shame how some people will throw away so much for drugs or alcohol. Hopefully he can get his act together and get back on the field where he belongs.
At least he didn't pull what the baseball players are pulling. Here's Palmeiro: "I told the truth, and today I am telling the truth again that I did not do this intentionally or knowingly." So what happened? He tripped and fell onto syringes loaded with Steroids? Canseco doesn't sound quite as crazy anymore.
Kind of reminds you of Ross from friends, trying to figure out who "tricked" him into smoking pot.
At least he didn't pull what the baseball players are pulling. Here's Palmeiro: "I told the truth, and today I am telling the truth again that I did not do this intentionally or knowingly." So what happened? He tripped and fell onto syringes loaded with Steroids? Canseco doesn't sound quite as crazy anymore.
Kind of reminds you of Ross from friends, trying to figure out who "tricked" him into smoking pot.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
FFL #1 Pick? Manning
A lot of FFL articles these days are debating who is the #1 pick in Fantasy Football. It depends a little bit on the scoring system you use, but, in most cases, it should be Peyton Manning.
A lot of people will go after a running back just because that has been the best thing to do for the last few years. But there are many more quality RBs out there this year. You can take a QB earlier and still get a top RB if you do your homework.
Most people are taking LaDainian Tomlinson first. That's not a bad pick, and you probably can't go wrong, but I would also argue that Priest Holmes should still be considered for the #1 pick. He was on pace to have a huge season last year before he was injured. Holmes' age and work ethic are being questioned, but it's still a good idea to take him ahead of LT, just make sure you get his backup, Larry Johnson. Johnson did a more than adequate job filling in for Holmes last season.
But if you want to know who the real #1 should be, all you have to do is look at the Colts' schedule. They play the AFC South and the NFC West in 10 games. There is not a good defense to be seen in those games. Also, Indianapolis' defense has not improved much, so there could be some shootouts again. Considering his schedule, Manning should easily get to 44 TDs again this year, and that makes him the #1 pick.
A lot of people will go after a running back just because that has been the best thing to do for the last few years. But there are many more quality RBs out there this year. You can take a QB earlier and still get a top RB if you do your homework.
Most people are taking LaDainian Tomlinson first. That's not a bad pick, and you probably can't go wrong, but I would also argue that Priest Holmes should still be considered for the #1 pick. He was on pace to have a huge season last year before he was injured. Holmes' age and work ethic are being questioned, but it's still a good idea to take him ahead of LT, just make sure you get his backup, Larry Johnson. Johnson did a more than adequate job filling in for Holmes last season.
But if you want to know who the real #1 should be, all you have to do is look at the Colts' schedule. They play the AFC South and the NFC West in 10 games. There is not a good defense to be seen in those games. Also, Indianapolis' defense has not improved much, so there could be some shootouts again. Considering his schedule, Manning should easily get to 44 TDs again this year, and that makes him the #1 pick.
Friday, July 29, 2005
The Myth of Running Backs
The trend in Fantasy Football the last few years has been to draft running backs early and often. This has been the one position where there was little depth and only a handful of stellar players. If you didn't draft a top back, you struggled all year.
It looks like that trend is continuing this year. As one example, just look at this mock draft. Out of the first 24 picks, 20 were running backs. However, the running back position has changed drastically over the past 2 seasons. I don't believe there is still a need to pick running backs in the first 2 rounds to build your team.
In my league last year, those teams that chose running backs in the first 2 rounds did not fair as well as those who chose differently. Look here for a more detailed look. Take another look at the mock draft. At least 4 running backs were taken ahead of Marvin Harrison, including Chris Brown, that have no business being taken at that point.
I agree that having a top-notch RB is extremely important, but drafting 2 RBs with your first 2 picks may not be the best move anymore. There are many more RBs available this year, and that lowers the value of almost all of them. LaDainian Tomlinson, Priest Holmes, and Shaun Alexander must be considered if they are there. But passing on Peyton Manning, Daunte Culpepper, or Donovan McNabb to get a RB that doesn't stand head and shoulders above the next 10 on the list is foolish.
You should always draft the best available player, not follow some positional formula.
It looks like that trend is continuing this year. As one example, just look at this mock draft. Out of the first 24 picks, 20 were running backs. However, the running back position has changed drastically over the past 2 seasons. I don't believe there is still a need to pick running backs in the first 2 rounds to build your team.
In my league last year, those teams that chose running backs in the first 2 rounds did not fair as well as those who chose differently. Look here for a more detailed look. Take another look at the mock draft. At least 4 running backs were taken ahead of Marvin Harrison, including Chris Brown, that have no business being taken at that point.
I agree that having a top-notch RB is extremely important, but drafting 2 RBs with your first 2 picks may not be the best move anymore. There are many more RBs available this year, and that lowers the value of almost all of them. LaDainian Tomlinson, Priest Holmes, and Shaun Alexander must be considered if they are there. But passing on Peyton Manning, Daunte Culpepper, or Donovan McNabb to get a RB that doesn't stand head and shoulders above the next 10 on the list is foolish.
You should always draft the best available player, not follow some positional formula.
Monday, July 25, 2005
SI Wrong About Owens, Loafers, etc, etc
A few years ago I cancelled my subscription to Sports Illustrated. Mostly because the writers seemed a bit uninformed and seemed to be a little more political than "objective" sports writers should be. Today I was reminded of those reasons again.
I saw the headline for this article, and decided to give it a read. So many things are wrong with it that I just had to say something.
Michael Silver uses the first 2 paragraphs listing just a few of the reasons that Terrell Owens shouldn't get a new contract, then demands that Philly pay Owens whatever he wants.
He writes: "That said, let's get real. The man is good. He is, despite what many in the Eagles organization would have you believe, the biggest reason the team finally shed its big-game choker label and reached a Super Bowl. And, most of all, when the franchise faced its biggest moment in nearly a quarter-decade, T.O. shook off a severe ankle injury and took one for the team -- OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF HIS HEART."
Mr. Silver wasn't paying attention to the Eagles last season, or he would know how flawed that statement is. The Eagles defense rose up at the end of last season to become dominant. It was their defense that got them over the hump and into the Super Bowl. And T.O. never does anything out of the goodness of his heart! He is all about T.O., and he doesn't give a damn about even his own teammates.
And he's not done: "To review: Owens broke his right leg and suffered severe ligament damage to his ankle in the team's third-to-last regular season game and, after undergoing surgery, was told by doctors he'd need at least two months to heal. The Eagles won a pair of playoff games without him to reach the Super Bowl, at which point T.O. pronounced himself fit to return more than a week-and-a-half ahead of schedule.
Sure, the Eagles said. Go ahead. As long as you sign this injury waiver indemnifying us in case you reinjure the ankle.
Say WHAT?"
Yes, Mr. Silver, the Eagles wanted to protect themselves. If they hadn't signed the waiver and Owens had done more severe and possibly permanent damage to his ankle, you would have been one of the first to say how foolish the Eagles were to allow Owens to play without protecting themselves! The Eagles organization didn't have much choice.
Then this: "And please, Philly fans, spare me the rants about how the Eagles won two playoff games with T.O. on the sideline. For one thing, the NFC sucks, so don't read too much into those triumphs over the Vikings and Falcons, each of whom was flummoxed by the Philly D. Need I remind you that with T.O. out, Donovan McNabb's targets were Todd Pinkston and Freddie Mitchell. Next argument?"
Mr Silver contradicts himself badly here. First he said Owens was the reason the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl, but in this paragraph he argues the opposite, admitting that the defense was the reason the Eagles moved on and that the competition was not very good. Next argument? How could I possibly argue? You openly ignore facts, then admit to my theory being correct, then challenge me to argue?!? But I guess I'm ranting.
Terrell Owens has become a poison to the Philadelphia Eagles. To pay him more money would be the single stupidest thing any franchise ever did. Especially after everything the organization did to get Owens out of Pittsburgh, and into Philly in the first place. The Eagles should trade him away as quickly as they possibly can.
Want to know how loved Owens is around the league? He mentioned Atlanta as a place he would be willing to grace with his presence. Do you see the folks in Atlanta rioting to get him?
I mentioned in the opening here that the politics of the SI writers was also a reason not to read them. And Mr. Silver doesn't disappoint, using the Northwestern lacrosse team's completely immature, tacky, and disrespectful wearing of thongs to the White House as an opportunity to do his liberal bandwagon jumping act, and pile on to Karl Rove. As if Mr. Silver had clue one what is going on in the Grand Jury room! Way to insult over half of your target audience, Mr. Silver!
I won't be renewing that SI subscription any time soon, if this is what passes for reasoned opinion!
I saw the headline for this article, and decided to give it a read. So many things are wrong with it that I just had to say something.
Michael Silver uses the first 2 paragraphs listing just a few of the reasons that Terrell Owens shouldn't get a new contract, then demands that Philly pay Owens whatever he wants.
He writes: "That said, let's get real. The man is good. He is, despite what many in the Eagles organization would have you believe, the biggest reason the team finally shed its big-game choker label and reached a Super Bowl. And, most of all, when the franchise faced its biggest moment in nearly a quarter-decade, T.O. shook off a severe ankle injury and took one for the team -- OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF HIS HEART."
Mr. Silver wasn't paying attention to the Eagles last season, or he would know how flawed that statement is. The Eagles defense rose up at the end of last season to become dominant. It was their defense that got them over the hump and into the Super Bowl. And T.O. never does anything out of the goodness of his heart! He is all about T.O., and he doesn't give a damn about even his own teammates.
And he's not done: "To review: Owens broke his right leg and suffered severe ligament damage to his ankle in the team's third-to-last regular season game and, after undergoing surgery, was told by doctors he'd need at least two months to heal. The Eagles won a pair of playoff games without him to reach the Super Bowl, at which point T.O. pronounced himself fit to return more than a week-and-a-half ahead of schedule.
Sure, the Eagles said. Go ahead. As long as you sign this injury waiver indemnifying us in case you reinjure the ankle.
Say WHAT?"
Yes, Mr. Silver, the Eagles wanted to protect themselves. If they hadn't signed the waiver and Owens had done more severe and possibly permanent damage to his ankle, you would have been one of the first to say how foolish the Eagles were to allow Owens to play without protecting themselves! The Eagles organization didn't have much choice.
Then this: "And please, Philly fans, spare me the rants about how the Eagles won two playoff games with T.O. on the sideline. For one thing, the NFC sucks, so don't read too much into those triumphs over the Vikings and Falcons, each of whom was flummoxed by the Philly D. Need I remind you that with T.O. out, Donovan McNabb's targets were Todd Pinkston and Freddie Mitchell. Next argument?"
Mr Silver contradicts himself badly here. First he said Owens was the reason the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl, but in this paragraph he argues the opposite, admitting that the defense was the reason the Eagles moved on and that the competition was not very good. Next argument? How could I possibly argue? You openly ignore facts, then admit to my theory being correct, then challenge me to argue?!? But I guess I'm ranting.
Terrell Owens has become a poison to the Philadelphia Eagles. To pay him more money would be the single stupidest thing any franchise ever did. Especially after everything the organization did to get Owens out of Pittsburgh, and into Philly in the first place. The Eagles should trade him away as quickly as they possibly can.
Want to know how loved Owens is around the league? He mentioned Atlanta as a place he would be willing to grace with his presence. Do you see the folks in Atlanta rioting to get him?
I mentioned in the opening here that the politics of the SI writers was also a reason not to read them. And Mr. Silver doesn't disappoint, using the Northwestern lacrosse team's completely immature, tacky, and disrespectful wearing of thongs to the White House as an opportunity to do his liberal bandwagon jumping act, and pile on to Karl Rove. As if Mr. Silver had clue one what is going on in the Grand Jury room! Way to insult over half of your target audience, Mr. Silver!
I won't be renewing that SI subscription any time soon, if this is what passes for reasoned opinion!
Friday, July 22, 2005
Bruschi Out for 2005
The Patriots will have to go without LB Tedy Bruschi this season. It's too bad, Bruschi is a great player and one of the good guys in sports.
New England would not have repeated as Champs this year, anyway. But this should certainly seal it. Not that they won't have a good season and make the playoffs, I just think there is too much working against them to three-peat.
Here's why they won't return to the Super Bowl:
1. They lost both coordinators. I don't care how good the replacements are, that's a lot of adjusting to do.
2. They're tired. They've basically played 3 seasons of football in 2 years. Better teams than the Patriots have failed to three-peat, and this is one reason why.
3. The AFC is getting better. Someone is going to knock them off.
4. No Bruschi.
New England would not have repeated as Champs this year, anyway. But this should certainly seal it. Not that they won't have a good season and make the playoffs, I just think there is too much working against them to three-peat.
Here's why they won't return to the Super Bowl:
1. They lost both coordinators. I don't care how good the replacements are, that's a lot of adjusting to do.
2. They're tired. They've basically played 3 seasons of football in 2 years. Better teams than the Patriots have failed to three-peat, and this is one reason why.
3. The AFC is getting better. Someone is going to knock them off.
4. No Bruschi.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Fantasy Football Real Player Value
Every one of us who has played Fantasy Football long enough knows that the hardest thing to do on Draft Day is to decide, at some point, between 2 players that play different positions. Which one will help the team the most?
A few years ago I read about Real Value. It is a simple way to compare QBs to RBs to WRs to TEs. It is also a great way to decide between 2 players at the same position that are comparable in value. Since I have been using this method to help me rank my players for the draft, I have been doing very well. I even won my league last year.
Now, Real Value is not a magic pill that will make your roster unbeatable, but it is by far the best draft tool I have found. It's a simple math formula that gives equal weight to the skill positions.
The key to drafting is not knowing how many points a player will score during the year. The key is to know which player will provide more points than the other players, or more value. If you are considering a QB, 2 RBs, and a WR, which one will have the most value? The real question is; how many more points are those players worth than the next player on the list? That is where Real Value comes in.
Calculating Real Value is easy. Once you have your players ranked by position and have assigned a point value to each of them, simply draw a line under the last player who would be considered a 'Starter'. For example, if you have 10 teams in your league, there will be 10 starting QBs each week, so draw a line under the 10th QB. Now look at the points for the 11th QB, the first non-starter. Take those points and subtract them from every QB on your list. The result is the Real Value for each QB.
Now do the same thing for the other positions. If you have 2 starting RBs and 10 teams, the 21st ranked RB is the first non-starter, and you subtract his points from all of the other RBs. Same for the WRs and TEs, using the same formula.
Now you can rank your players by Real Value and know exactly where each of them stands in comparison to players at other positions. It is a great way to prepare your draft Cheat Sheet.
In my league last year, going off of the point totals for all players projected over 16 games, here is the 2004 Real Value of the top 10 Players. This is not for the upcoming season, but a view of who the best players to have last year were. Real Value in parentheses.
1. Priest Holmes (128)
2. Peyton Manning (115)
3. Shaun Alexander (97)
4. Daunte Culpepper (96)
5. LaDainian Tomlinson (92)
6. Muhsin Muhammed (86)
7. Terrell Owens (85)
8. Tiki Barber (71)
9. Randy Moss (68)
10. Marvin Harrison (68)
It would be hard to argue against that first 5 going into this year's draft. Some people have argued with me over how well this works, but I have not failed to make the playoffs since starting to use it.
As I said, this is not the only thing you need to have a winning season. Here is my own personal list of the things you must do to win:
1. Draft well. This is where Real Value helps.
2. Have good depth on your roster. Injuries, and how you adjust to them, will make a bigger difference to your success than anything else.
3. React quickly. If someone is hot, get them. If a stud goes down and their backup is available, get them. By picking up Reuben Droughns and Larry Johnson during the season last year, I was able to keep winning all the way throughout the Championship.
4. Don't make bad trades. Real Value can help here, too.
Pretty simple, eh? Of course there is a lot more to it than that. Real Value is a starting point. How you come up with the points you assign to the players on your draft list will also affect Real Value. And there is no way to really know how many points a player will score. There are a lot of factors. Use Real Value only after you have done the legwork and assigned points to your players.
A few years ago I read about Real Value. It is a simple way to compare QBs to RBs to WRs to TEs. It is also a great way to decide between 2 players at the same position that are comparable in value. Since I have been using this method to help me rank my players for the draft, I have been doing very well. I even won my league last year.
Now, Real Value is not a magic pill that will make your roster unbeatable, but it is by far the best draft tool I have found. It's a simple math formula that gives equal weight to the skill positions.
The key to drafting is not knowing how many points a player will score during the year. The key is to know which player will provide more points than the other players, or more value. If you are considering a QB, 2 RBs, and a WR, which one will have the most value? The real question is; how many more points are those players worth than the next player on the list? That is where Real Value comes in.
Calculating Real Value is easy. Once you have your players ranked by position and have assigned a point value to each of them, simply draw a line under the last player who would be considered a 'Starter'. For example, if you have 10 teams in your league, there will be 10 starting QBs each week, so draw a line under the 10th QB. Now look at the points for the 11th QB, the first non-starter. Take those points and subtract them from every QB on your list. The result is the Real Value for each QB.
Now do the same thing for the other positions. If you have 2 starting RBs and 10 teams, the 21st ranked RB is the first non-starter, and you subtract his points from all of the other RBs. Same for the WRs and TEs, using the same formula.
Now you can rank your players by Real Value and know exactly where each of them stands in comparison to players at other positions. It is a great way to prepare your draft Cheat Sheet.
In my league last year, going off of the point totals for all players projected over 16 games, here is the 2004 Real Value of the top 10 Players. This is not for the upcoming season, but a view of who the best players to have last year were. Real Value in parentheses.
1. Priest Holmes (128)
2. Peyton Manning (115)
3. Shaun Alexander (97)
4. Daunte Culpepper (96)
5. LaDainian Tomlinson (92)
6. Muhsin Muhammed (86)
7. Terrell Owens (85)
8. Tiki Barber (71)
9. Randy Moss (68)
10. Marvin Harrison (68)
It would be hard to argue against that first 5 going into this year's draft. Some people have argued with me over how well this works, but I have not failed to make the playoffs since starting to use it.
As I said, this is not the only thing you need to have a winning season. Here is my own personal list of the things you must do to win:
1. Draft well. This is where Real Value helps.
2. Have good depth on your roster. Injuries, and how you adjust to them, will make a bigger difference to your success than anything else.
3. React quickly. If someone is hot, get them. If a stud goes down and their backup is available, get them. By picking up Reuben Droughns and Larry Johnson during the season last year, I was able to keep winning all the way throughout the Championship.
4. Don't make bad trades. Real Value can help here, too.
Pretty simple, eh? Of course there is a lot more to it than that. Real Value is a starting point. How you come up with the points you assign to the players on your draft list will also affect Real Value. And there is no way to really know how many points a player will score. There are a lot of factors. Use Real Value only after you have done the legwork and assigned points to your players.
Ricky's Back, So What's the Good News?
I have not done much blogging lately. Coaching baseball, fixing cars, lawncare, etc, etc, have taken most of my time. Besides, there hasn't been much going on. What a coincidence that, as I get more time to get back to this, Ricky Williams re-joins the Dolphins.
I have a hard time finding any positive in this. There are reports that Williams is contacting his Once and Future teammates and trying to smooth things over. But what can you possibly say to someone you burned so badly?!?
"Sorry, had things to do, places to go!"??
No teammate will be happy about having Ricky back. If Williams dogs even one play, those teammates will hate him and know he is only back for the money. If they start winning, Williams will only be tolerated. Chemistry is a big part of every team, and Nick Saban has just messed with the chemistry.
Personally, I think Williams is getting off easy. Hopefully, some big hungry linebacker will feel the same way and let Ricky know how the whole team really feels about his return.
I have a hard time finding any positive in this. There are reports that Williams is contacting his Once and Future teammates and trying to smooth things over. But what can you possibly say to someone you burned so badly?!?
"Sorry, had things to do, places to go!"??
No teammate will be happy about having Ricky back. If Williams dogs even one play, those teammates will hate him and know he is only back for the money. If they start winning, Williams will only be tolerated. Chemistry is a big part of every team, and Nick Saban has just messed with the chemistry.
Personally, I think Williams is getting off easy. Hopefully, some big hungry linebacker will feel the same way and let Ricky know how the whole team really feels about his return.
Travis Henry to Tennessee
The Buffalo Bills finally got their third round pick for Travis Henry, and he is now a Titan. The strange thing about this trade is that Henry wanted out of Buffalo because he believes he is a starter. But then he accepted a trade to basically share another backfield, this time with Chris Brown. I guess Henry just wanted out of Buffalo. Can't blame him.
The Bills got what they wanted for Henry, but are now without a solid backup for McGahee. With a first year starter at QB, not being deep in the backfield could hurt the Bills. If Losman struggles and the defenses can key on McGahee, it could be a long, painful season for him.
For us FFLers, Henry's stock doesn't climb much unless Brown continues to struggle with injuries. This also lowers the value of Brown. We will have to watch how this shakes out in the pre-season.
The Bills got what they wanted for Henry, but are now without a solid backup for McGahee. With a first year starter at QB, not being deep in the backfield could hurt the Bills. If Losman struggles and the defenses can key on McGahee, it could be a long, painful season for him.
For us FFLers, Henry's stock doesn't climb much unless Brown continues to struggle with injuries. This also lowers the value of Brown. We will have to watch how this shakes out in the pre-season.
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