The Eagles Current Defense Roster Is One Big Jigsaw Puzzle

When you look at the moves the Eagles made on the defensive side, you can’t help but think: Who is going to go where?

Not only will last year’s No. 3 ranked unit have a change in leadership, but it’s also possible that there will be five different starters from the squad that started the season last year.

One also can’t help but wonder about the status of coordinator Jim Johnson. 

Sean McDermott has learned under Johnson and is more than capable of taking over the position, but I’d rather have the blitz master patrolling the sidelines motivating the D. 

Above all else, I pray Jim Johnson recovers his health fully. 

That’s way more important than football.

A closer look at the current guys on the team….

 

Defensive Tackle

Broderick Bunkley and Mike Patterson have become quite a formidable duo on the interior of the defensive line. 

Bunkley possibly could make a run at the Pro Bowl this year. 

The starters are intact, but I would like to see more of Trevor Laws this year.

 

Defensive End

Trent Cole is a lock on the right side, no question. 

My concern is left end. 

Victor Abiamiri got off to a rough start in training camp, and I don’t think he ever recovered.  He’s serviceable, but I’m not big on Jaqua Parker starting.

Let’s hope Abiamiri stays healthy this year. 

I also expect a stronger start from Chris Clemons and productivity from 2008 third round pick Bryan Smith.  I’m not sure if Darren Howard can duplicate his 10 sack season of last year. 

 

Linebacker

Not only has Stewart Bradley cemented his spot in the middle for years to come, he’s the guy best suited to be the defensive leader with the departure of Brian Dawkins. 

Chris Gocong had a solid year, but I’d like to see him improve even more. 

The biggest question mark is Omar Gaither.

In 2007, Jeremiah Trotter gets “axed” so Gaither can man the middle. The next year the same thing happens to Takeo Spikes so Omar can slide outside and let Bradley handle the middle. 

After all of that, Gaither loses his spot midseason to undrafted Akeem Jordan(who did a decent job).  Gaither needs to want that starting spot and earn it back. 

If not, he should be preseason trade bait.  The rest of the linebackers are mainly built for special teams.

 

Cornerback/Safety

Normally I would separate these two positions, but the entire Eagles secondary is what sparked me to write this article. 

The only sure spot is where Pro Bowler Asante Samuel will lineup. 

At the other corner position, is it Ellis Hobbs?

How long before Sheldon gets shipped to another team?

Does Sean Jones start at free safety or does Quinten Mikell slide over there and let Jones start?

Is Quinten Demps ready(Don’t judge his last sighting! That was Larry Fitzgerald after all!!)? 

The Eagles obtained quite a few defensive backs via draft and undrafted signings as well.  This looks to be a very competitive summer for these guys.

 

Overall

On paper, the Eagles defense has the potential to improve on last year’s success. 

The keys are health, leadership, and placement.  If they get those things in order, nobody is going to want to line up across from them.

Will the Real Raider Nation Please Stand Up???

OK, there are a few reasons why I decided to step up and write my first article about my beloved silver and black. The main reason is that I am sick of all these so-called Raider fans talking sh**. Everyday, I go to a few different Web sites and check and see what my Raiders are up to, which no matter how hard I try or how far I look, I never truly will know whats going on with them.

But I try anyway. Lately, I have been seeing a lot of stuff that is really pissing me off. I am seeing a lot of my fellow Raider fans just trashing the organization and saying how it’s going downhill and how crappy the moves we are making are.

It’s really getting to me, because if you are a true fan, you always back up your team, no matter what. Raiders fans are known to not give a fu** what people think; we love our team, no matter what, we are supposed to be the most dedicated fans in the world, and now I’m seeing a bunch of you talking crap, and it’s a disgrace.

I am used to seeing a few so-called fans trashing us about letting players go (like Wilson and Hall) and people saying how crazy Al is getting; the man knows football and knows what he is doing. And this sh*t its really getting out of hand.

What really put me over the edge is how much I’ve been hearing about Crabtree. I’m getting tired of everyone running their mouth about how we passed up on him. We made our move on Heyward-Bey, and I am damn proud of it. He’s a damn good receiver, and it’s gonna show during the regular season. And all the crap people are saying about Mike Mitchell is ridiculous: this kid runs a 4.43 and hits like a train and is perfect Raiders material. Have any of you heard of Jack Tatum? Because that’s exactly who comes to mind when I watched this kid’s highlights. He’s gonna make people scared to catch passes around him.

We’ve made a lot of great moves lately, especially picking up Louis Murphy in round four, and signing Frantz Joseph. But I could go on for days; I just needed to blow off some steam.

Let me know what you think about my piece, and please let me hear back from some true Raider fans. And by “true,” I mean the ones who back up the nation 100 percent through everything, not these kids that just like to call themselves fans of the silver and black.

Sanchez: Fool’s Gold

All the experts agree: his has shown he will be able to play at the next level. He has a great arm, he is an accurate passer, he can read defenses well, and he can look defenders off coverage. He also makes good decisions…on the field.

He has a lot of raw talent. He has shown improvement in his game over the last college football season, but I don’t think Mark Sanchez is ready for the NFL.

Many experts say that his abilities on the field outweigh his inexperience. I believe that is not the case. I do not think Sanchez will make it in the NFL.

When I look at an athlete, the talent of the athlete is important to the “grade” of the athlete. However, the most important thing to the “grade” of the athlete is experience.  With the lack of experience, Sanchez will have a huge mountain to climb.

I hope for Sanchez’s sake that he proves me wrong. So far, Sanchez has shown he can work the New York market. He has gotten the fans on his side. Now it’s his job to keep them there.

The Jets have not been successful in the playoffs since 1998, when they lost to the Denver Broncos, 13-10. They advanced to the AFC Championship Game and had a halftime lead of 10-0.

Unfortunately, with the success of the Giants, whom the Jets share a stadium with, it’s now Super Bowl or bust for Jets fans. I am not saying he has to win immediately, but in New York, the expectations are already high for him.

The Jets have the pieces in place. They have a solid running game and a top-five defense, they just needed a quarterback. Now, Mark Sanchez is the man, and the weight of New York will be on his shoulders until his time in New York is finished.

The “normal” expectation are already high to begin with in New York, but now they will be unreasonably high next season. The price the Jets paid was high, which will lead to the unreasonable expectations. They traded two players (Kenyon Coleman and Abram Elam), their second round pick this year, and their first pick this year.

I believe it’s time for a quarterback to step up. Hopefully, Sanchez will step up; he probably will not.

Wish Granted? QB Brett Favre Released From Jets—Minnesota Next Stop?

Here we go again.

Longtime NFL quarterback Brett Favre is slowly making his way back onto the football scene. This time, it appears he may have his wish granted.

A year late.

The New York Jets have officially released Favre from their reserve/retired list, and he is currently an unrestricted free agent. Any comeback for Favre would require a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

But that should only be a minor step—over to the team with which he wanted to make his original comeback.

After being “betrayed” by the Green Bay Packers, Favre openly stated his desire to play for the Minnesota Vikings.

He may finally get his wish.

Now that he is a free agent, he is open to sign with any NFL team. Oddly enough, his release comes just days after the NFL draft, which could be a selling point for the Vikings signing Favre.

The Vikings already have:

• The best offensive skill player in the game, running back Adrian Peterson;
• The best left guard in the game, Steve Hutchinson;
• Arguably the best defensive line in the NFL;
• Possibly the best linebacker group;
• A big-play threat in Bernard Berrian;
• And they just added the most explosive receiver in the draft, Percy Harvin.

What could hold Favre back?

The Vikings are only a star quarterback away from “super” status.

Favre could end his career on good terms, and Minnesota could have its best shot at a title since Daunte Culpepper was playing MVP-caliber football in 1999.

To me, it’s a marriage that has to happen. Brett Favre has to make it happen in Minnesota, and he will.

A Vikings Fan: FIRST NFL Director of Fandemonium

Congratulations to Rainier “Onyx” Herrera! He is the first and new NFL director of Fandemonium, and a Minnesota Vikings fan from Hawaii!

 

Onyx will take home a $100,000 signing bonus and be given access to behind-the-scenes action, with access that was never granted before at several marquee NFL events during the 2009 season.

 

The first of his responsibilities were just this Saturday, when he announced a second-round pick at the 2009 NFL Draft for (you guessed it) the Minnesota Vikings, selecting Phil Loadholt, offensive tackle from the Oklahoma Sooners.

 

“Admittedly, we are a bit football deprived here in Hawaii, but that has never diminished my love for the sport of football,” said Herrera. “I seriously do have ‘Fandemonium fever’ —that intense passion and drive for the game. Put simply, being selected the Director of Fandemonium is a dream job for me—one I’ve been ‘training’ for since I was a kid.”

 

“Onyx is exactly what we were looking for in a Director of Fandemonium,” said Ted Gilvar, executive vice president and chief global marketing officer, Monster.com. “He’s really outgoing, regular guy who lives and breathes the NFL. We had 32 great candidates to choose from but Onyx clearly earned the role over the grueling two-day interview process.”

 

Behind-the-Scenes schedule for Onyx:

·        September 2009—NFL Kickoff

o   Act as backstage talent wrangler at the 2009 NFL Kickoff concert.

 

·        October 2009—International Series

o   Participate in on-field introductions at a game in London.

 

·        November 2009—NFL Thanksgiving

o   Serve as an on-field broadcast liaison for NFL Network’s Thanksgiving Game

 

·        January 2010—Pro Bowl

o   Select a play from the sidelines during the 2010 Pro Bowl

 

·        February 2010—Super Bowl

o   Join the coin toss ceremony at Super Bowl XLIV

 

 

This is just another feather in the hat for the Minnesota Vikings this year! 

 

Let’s keep this snowball of victory rolling into the 2009 season!

Hakeem Nicks: One Year Wonder or the New York Giants’ Next Great Wide Receiver?

When you see action as a starter for just one year in college, your overall ability is suspect.

Case in point: Mark Sanchez at Southern Cal.

He had one excellent year as a starter, led his team to a Rose Bowl victory, and was claimed by the New York Jets who traded up to harvest his talents.

But one year wonders are not always successful.

The Western Athletic Conference’s No. 1 football team, the Boise State Broncos, are known for having great quarterbacks. Like USC, they just seem to crawl out of the woodwork.

In 2007, Boise State University backup quarterback, Taylor Tharp was thrust into the limelight succeeding the masterful Jared Zabransky (“Z”).

Tharp took over a team that just one year prior went to the BCS—2007 Fiesta Bowl.

“Z” and company defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 43-42 in overtime in what is called, the greatest college game ever played.

Boise State finished the 2007 season ranked No. 5 by the BCS and were the nation’s only undefeated team.

Tharp had a lot to live up to.

He had a good year—won some fantastic games, but he lost the conference title and the Hawaii Bowl.

Now consider the North Carolina Tarheels’ wide receiver Hakeem Nicks.

He had a tremendous senior year, but not until Brandon Tate was injured. After that, it was pretty much all Hakeem at UNC.

On draft day this past weekend, the New York Giants drafted Nicks instead of highly regarded Kenny Britt, the wide receiver from Rutgers whom many thought the Giants would take.

The Giants wanted Nicks so badly they passed on Britt.

They held their ground by not buying into the demands of New York fans for somewhat available veterans Anquan Boldin of the Cardinals and Braylon Edwards of the Browns.

What the Giants get from Nicks is a guy without all the baggage who can truly catch the ball.

So many receivers would love to play for the Giants, but do not have the hands.

You have to be pretty awesome to begin with, as the wind that blows at Giants’ Stadium will test the very best.

For Hakeem, the winds truly did test him.

When the Giants had him over for a workout, Hakeem caught every single pass that was thrown to him.

Nicks is truly a talented receiver.

Nicks may be suspect to some, but barring a strange mishap, he along with Eli Manning, a very good draft, and a resurrected defense will help the Giants return to the Super Bowl.

Brett Favre Cut by New York Jets: Here We Go Again?

I read a story earlier this morning alluding to the possibility of another Brett Favre un-retirement, but dismissed it at the time as pure conjecture and rumor-mongering.

Well, it turns out ProFootballTalk may have been on to something.

The New York Jets have officially cut ties with retired-quarterback Brett Favre, clearing the way for Favre to stay retired or sign with any team of his choosing. Favre apparently asked for his release a few weeks ago from the Jets organization, but perhaps in an effort to disguise their draft plans the Jets refused that request.

Until tonight.

What PFT alluded to in referencing Favre this morning was the potential scenario of a Favre return to the very team he wished to play for last season, the Minnesota Vikings. His current desire if he has it, to play in Minnesota, may have been strengthened by the team’s addition of play-making wide receiver Percy Harvin via the NFL Draft.

If Favre does indeed have the “itch” to play again, I have a feeling Brad Childress and the Vikings would listen.

A Look at the NFC North for the 2010 Season

Arguably the very worst conference in all of football is the talk of the league, right now.  There are so many hot stories to follow, it’s hard to keep up.  

From three rather new starting quarterbacks to two of the best drafts of the year, and yes, even the trade that shocked a city a mile high, this conference is the place to have your eyes on.

This conference is almost guaranteed to be the biggest race all year long.  This may be the only division where the worst team ever has a chance the following year.  If you think any of these teams with be in the double digits for wins, you may be the only one.

The Green Bay Packers

The Packers had one of the best drafts in recent memory, taking five potential starters for next year (According to Mel Kiper Jr.)  They also took two defensive rookie of the year candidates.  

Clay Matthews will be the best of the U.S.C linebackers, and B.J. Raji will be a pillar for a defence that now looks to be the best in the division.  They might as well start calling the Packers the NFC’s Steelers, because with Clay Matthews, A.J. Hawk, Nick Burnett, and Aaron Kampman as the team’s linebackers, no one will want to go there, either.

The problem with the Packers this season will be an old offensive line, an overrated running back, and the reliability of Aaron Rodgers.

They will have the same offence as last season, which doesn’t bode well for them.  If their line can hold up, look for them to win the conference title, and maybe even record 10 or more wins.  The only problem is, their line will not hold up.

Projected Record:  9 Wins/7 Losses

The Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings had one of the worst drafts in 2009.  Percy Harvin really offers their team nothing.  How can Percy Harvin add to Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor’s running game?  How can he do anything for a receiving unit that has a much more talented version of Percy Harvin already on the field in Bernard Berrian.

The true story with the Minnesota Vikings is Sage Rossenfels.  Will he play up to par? I bet he will, but will that really be the difference in a conference title?  I doubt highly Sage Rossenfels play will be the decisive factor in anything all season.

The real factor for the Vikings playoff aspirations lies in the hands of its defence.  Will the Vikings be able to count on that defence?  I doubt it.

Projected Record: 9 Wins/7 Losses

The Chicago Bears

Chicago shocked the football world when Jay Cutler was finally dealt out of Denver, and his destination wasn’t Washington.  Chicago is really counting on Jay Cutler leading that city back to the promised land, a place it once frequented.

With Devin Hester being the No. 1 option, how could he?  Jesus turned water into wine, but Jay Cutler can’t turn Devin Hester into a No. 1 receiver.  

The media has been hell-bent on casting Jay Cutler as some kind miracle worker, even when his stint in Denver was average.

In Denver he had Brandon Marshall, a 6′ 4″ monster with speed comparable to any No. 1 in the league, Tony Scheffler, one of the best receiving tight-ends in the league, and Eddie Royal, who gives a new definition to “speed demon.”  

Chicago offers him no weapons, other than running back Matt Forte, who is doomed for what is called the “sophomore slump.”

With an aging defence that showed signs of weakness even last season, I doubt the Bears will contend for anything.  Hopefully for them, Dez Bryant will enter the draft a season early.

Projected Record 6 Wins/10 Losses

The Detroit Lions

The Lions drafted three people who can come in and be impact players for their entire career, and none of them are even who I’m watching on the Lions roster.

Daunte Culpepper is down 30 pounds, and is “in the best shape since his days in Minnesota.”  The Detroit Lions don’t have Randy Moss, though, so how can Culpepper be even nearly as effective?  Well they have a younger, equally talented, version of Moss in Calvin Johnson, and the two form a very scary threat.

With tight end Brandon Pettigrew, Ronald Curry, and Bryant Johnson to spread the field, Cullpepper is the early favorite for comeback of the year.

The problem with Detroit is the same thing as last season—a very bad offensive line. Will Jeff Backus be able to play left tackle for another year?  Backus has a determination un-matched, but that won’t help him if he is injured.  I think the offensive line will ultimately be their downfall.

It’s unfortunate that this is the year they will improve because the 2010 draft class might be the best ever. I will have an article out about that draft class soon, so please tune back in.

Projected Record: 7 Wins/9 Losses  

In closing, expect the Packers to win the conference.  That defence will be scary.

 

 

Come To Think of It: Bears Linebacker Lance Briggs Cuts Hand in Butcher Shop

Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs says he cut his hand while shaving with a straight razor. But the Bob Warja Network has learned that the Pro-Bowler actually hurt himself while performing his offseason job as a butcher’s assistant at the local deli.

The story broke last week, when the Chicago Sun-Times published a photo of a heavily bandaged Briggs at an autograph signing.

Briggs can deny the meat-cutting incident all he wants, but sources close to him say that cutting meat has always been his true love.

“He plays football for the money, but Lance has dreamed of being a butcher ever since he was a little kid,” said a close friend who asked to remain anonymous. “Lance likes sacking the quarterback, but give him a good chuck roast and he’s in heaven.”

As expected, Briggs denied the report, saying “That’s a bunch of bologna, er, baloney.”

But his love for meat has been obvious ever since he became the first person to ever bring a fork and knife to a celebrity roast.

The Bears defensive standout admitted he had helped out at the deli before, but denied that he works there.

“An old buddy of mine owns the place,” he said, “so I thought I would give him a hand.”

Well, he almost took that a bit too literally.

When asked point blank about his purported love for cutting meat, Briggs appeared nervous.

“Sure, it’s fun. I mean, who doesn’t like using a boning knife?” Briggs said. “Smoking a rump roast, curing a pork shank, skewering a nice beef brisket…ahem, it means nothing to me.”

Bizarre injuries are nothing new to Chicago sports stars. In December, Bulls rookie Derrick Rose said he sliced his arm open on an apple knife rolling over in bed. That wound required 10 stitches to close. Michael Jordan nearly sliced off a finger on his shooting hand in a mishap with a cigar cutter while vacationing in the Bahamas.

Count Jerry Angelo among those who are trying to get to the bottom of the story.

“If he’s working in a butcher shop, that could be a violation of his contract,” said the Bears GM. “More disturbingly, he never even sent over one ribeye to my house. Not one.”

In any event, Briggs assured everyone he was fine.

“Nothing to worry about,” he said. “I’m in my prime…Mmmm, prime.”

Day Two Pick Shawn Nelson Will Contribute Right Away For The Buffalo Bills

He wasn’t expected to be there in the fourth round, but the Bills were sure glad he was still on the board.

Top rated tight end Shawn Nelson took an unexpected free fall and was snatched up by the Buffalo Bills with the 121st overall selection in this year’s NFL Draft.  The former wide receiver will have the chance to make an immediate impact on the field.

Tight end has been a position in Buffalo that has recently been turned into the sixth offensive linemen.  The Bills went after guys who could help out greatly in the run block.  Robert Royal was the latest tight end to fit this mold for Buffalo, but was released in the off-season, creating a hole in the depth chart.

While a blocking tight end is nice to have on the roster, he should be a guy you pick up for cheap in free agency or late in a draft.  The problem with Royal was not his blocking, which was excellent, but his ability to make a difference in the passing game.

Linebackers who played against Buffalo the last few seasons were not exactly keying on Royal, in fact they didn’t need to.  The tight end hauled in 33 passes for 351 yards last year, which were both career highs.

Unlike other tight ends in the league, Royal was not a goal-line threat to score either and scored only one touchdown last season.

Nelson will bring a new mentality to the tight end position, and to be honest, it is about time.

Blockers are nice, but the Bills haven’t had a tight end who could help contribute to the offense since Jay Riemersma in the early 2000s.  Nelson finally brings the skillset the Bills have been looking for.

 

Pros

Nelson is a prolific receiving tight end who caught 157 receptions for 2,054 receiving yards, recording 16 touchdowns in his collegiate career.  

He has great size at 6′ 5″, 240 lbs, and an amazing wingspan which allows him to pluck passes out of the air.  Nelson does a good job of shielding the ball from defenders, has great overall speed (ran a 4.56-40 at the combine), and has a quick burst off the line of scrimmage. 

He also has good footwork and good lateral ability to be able to get off jams at the line so they won’t affect his route.  He can gain separation on slower linebackers in man-on-man coverage, has decent strength and shows good efforts in terms of blocking. 

His greatest ability is he is able to stay balanced when fighting with defenders and constantly makes the hard play look easy.

 

Cons

He lacks the bulk to become a good blocker right away and also needs to add more upper body strength to help out in the run game.  His routes can be inconsistent at times, which he got away with in college. 

Nelson can also lack concentration at certain times which leads to drops of easy passes.  He lacks the agility down-field to make defenders miss and pull away from would be tacklers.   Some say that Nelson looked the same playing as a senior as he did as a freshman which leads them to believe he might have maxed out already, or lacks the drive to become the best player he can be.

 

Where He Will Fit in the Offense and Season Outlook:

The Bills currently have Derek Fine, the fourth round selection of the 2008 NFL Draft, and Derek Schouman at the tight end position.

Fine played well at times last season, but wasn’t used much in the passing game and was mostly brought in to block on two tight end formations.  He was also used at the goal line, again, mostly for his blocking skills. 

When given the chance, Fine showed soft hands and the ability to get open, hauling in 10 passes for 94 yards and one touchdown.  He will stick mostly to his role last season, coming in for blocking purposes or double-tight sets.  He is a great special teams player too, and will certainly be on the roster for the up-coming season.

Schouman, a seventh round pick in the 2007 draft, split playing time with Fine in double tight end formations and when Robert Royal was not on the field. 

His blocking skills are certainly up to par, as he had a similar role to Fine last season.  Also remember, in his rookie campaign he was moved into the “H-back” role, a hybrid of the full back position, basically a guy who can block but can catch passes out of the backfield too. 

Schouman also showed the ability to catch the ball, having 15 receptions for 153 yards and one touchdown. 

Depending on how Fine and Schouman progress overall, they should be expected to come in on running downs again, and used mostly for their blocking skills.  However, opposing defenses have to pay attention as the two of them can turn into reliable targets on play action passes.

Nelson should step into the starting role and will be utilized as a pass catcher.  Towards the end of the season, his blocking skills should start to come around, but for the most part of his rookie year he should be expected to be a pass catching tight end only.

Nelson adds to a receiving corps that already includes deep threat Lee Evans, Terrell Owens, “Mr. First Down” Josh Reed, Steven Johnson, James Hardy, and speedy wide-out Roscoe Parrish. 

The Bills now have the option to spread the field against weaker defenses.  In terms of targets, the they have plenty and it should greatly help out third year signal caller Trent Edwards.  Reed and Nelson should wreak havoc on the middle of the defense while Evans and Owens spread the field with their deep threat ability.

Overall, Edwards has plenty of weapons to get the ball to and with Marshawn Lynch (after suspension), Fred Jackson, and Dominic Rhodes in the back field, along with the addition of Nelson, the Bills should have an offense that defensive coordinators will be up late at night studying for.

Or at least spending more time than they have in the past.

 

This article was also featured on NFLTouchdown.com.

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