Will Any Raider Reciever Catch More Than 22 Passes in 2009?

The Raider receivers struggled last season, catching only 5.5 passes per game. More than a handful of receivers around the NFL accomplished the same statistics on their own.

In fact, most people reading this article could probably catch more fish per day off Fisherman’s Wharf—even if they aren’t experienced fisherman.

And that’s a fair comparison, because the Raiders receivers aren’t experienced ball catchers. So just how much did the Raider receivers struggle last season?

Let’s take a look.

Touchdowns: 11
Total yards: 1,196
Receptions: 88 
*excluding tight ends and running backs

Sure, a lot of the Raider receivers started in only several games throughout the season. But as a core, they were not productive.

Larry Fitzgerald alone caught more passes (96), gained more yards (1,431) and scored more touchdowns (12) than the entire Raiders receiving core. Other receivers caught more passes and gained more yards (Andre Johnson, Brandon Marshall) than the Raiders, too. The Raider receivers averaged a mere 18.69 yards per quarter in 2008—Steve Smith averaged 18.2 yards per catch.

Nine total receivers averaged more yards per game than the Raiders’ wide receivers combined.

The position should have more stability this season with young guns Chaz Schilens, Johnnie Lee Higgins and Darrius Heyward-Bey, though there is no guarantee that they will excel. But they should be—better be—must be—more productive than last year.

Higgins led last year’s group with 22 catches, 366 yards and four touchdowns.

This is the NFL we are talking about. Not high school football nor San Jose State football.

The Raiders receivers must improve.

They are young and inexperienced, but somebody obviously thought they had the talent to get the job done, and now is their chance to prove it.

In fact, the Raiders receivers have no choice but to improve—their statistics can’t get much worse.

Wilfork, Secondary Key to New England’s Sucess in 2009

It’s only May, and players aren’t even in full workouts or donning pads, but Tom Brady is already set to go.

While his press conference today was full of training camp cliches, its a good sign for New England to see their leader jumping to get back into action. But how will the Patriots, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002, fare this fall?

While the questions surrounding Brady’s health are some that will need to be answered, there are others as well. Keep in mind the Patriots went 11-5, sans Brady for all but one quarter of the 2008 season.

A delay in Brady’s return, or even another injury, would hurt, but the Patriots have a solid offensive line and a deep pool of players at the skilled positions.If New England is going to return to the playoffs and capture their fourth Super Bowl of the decade, the defense is going to have to step up and match the panache of the offense.

New England’s secondary is stocked with some much needed youth and talent in draft picks Patrick Chung and Darius Butler, which should help a team that is still trying to find a replacement for Asante Samuel. Veterans Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs are steady players, but it will be interesting to see if the explosive Butler can push one of them for a starting spot.

Keep an eye on Vince Wilfork, too. The massive nose tackle is unhappy with his contract situation and did not report to a voluntary workout today. Granted, it’s early, but him not showing up had to have sent a sign.

Wilfork is the anchor of the Patriots 3-4 defense and helps stuff the run. Rookie Ron Brace has potential, but it would be far too much to ask for him to fill Wilfork’s spot right away in the season opener.

Should Wilfork hold out or demand a trade, his absence would allow teams to attack the Patriots both on the ground and through the air. With several youngsters potentially starting in the secondary, eliminating an opponent’s run game could be key.

While New England is frugal with their cap space, they have shown the willingness to pony up for players they consider essential—especially lineman, as Bill Belichick believes games are won and lost in the trenches.

More likely then not, Wilfork will suit up as a Patriot next season.

If Wilfork returns, and linemate Richard Seymour can return to his previous form, the Patriots could have a dominating front line.

Couple this with a the emergence of a playmaker or two in the secondary, and New England’s defense may be able to match the offense in its explosiveness.

Injuries, combined with the injection of new talent via the draft, make football one of the hardest sports to predict prior to the start of the season. But, it’s safe to assume that the Patriots will be one of the eight teams playing deep into January. How far they’ll go remains to be seen.

A 2009 NFC North Cheat-Sheet

Corn-fed linemen, corn-fed linebackers, and corn-fed fans—all set against a bucolic Midwestern backdrop of fields brimming with…well, you get the picture.

What’s not to like about NFC North football?

Earlier this week, we picked the Minnesota Vikings to take home a second straight division title. But what about the rest of the NFL’s heartland division? After all, the North up for grabs among a trio of 5-5 clubs as late as mid-November before the Vikes ran away with the division.

Will the Bears and Packers—who combined to win the first seven NFC North crowns after the division was formed in 2001—restore their duopoly? Will the Lions go from crash-and-burn to party-crashers?

And what horrors befall fantasy owners who draft the wrong Adrian Peterson?

Here, we examine nine outstanding questions facing Minnesota’s three division challengers—and how the answers will impact the NFC North race.

Michael Vick Has Paid His Debt to Society, NFL Should Reinstate Him

Michael Vick is a despicable human being.

He organized a dog fighting ring, killed dogs for fun, had his pit bulls rip apart house pets, and has very little remorse for anything other than the fact that he got caught.

He’s scum. I wouldn’t want him anywhere near myself, my family, or any of my friends.

I’d sooner spit in his face than shake his hand.

But this talk about continuing his ban from the NFL is ridiculous.

Michael Vick has been out of the NFL for two years. He spent most of that time in prison. He’s millions of dollars in debt. He’s disgraced. He has no more sponsorships. He’s effectively been destroyed for what he did.

I’m not trying to make you feel sorry for the guy, but the situation is what it is.

The federal government says he’s paid his debt to society. What gives the NFL the right to say he’s no longer allowed to make a living?

With all due respect to PETA and their completely insane members, we all need to take a step back here. What Michael Vick did is horrible, inexcusable, terrible…I’m tired, I have no other adjectives. It was bad. One of the worst things ever.

But what do we want to happen here? Suspend him for life? Never allow him to work again? Seriously?

Look, Leonard Little killed a man and was suspended for eight games.

KILLED a man.

Missed eight games.

Michael Vick has missed 16 games, not counting preseason and playoffs. He killed dogs.

I’m not trying to minimize what he did, but most people not in PETA would agree: Man > Dogs.

Kobe Bryant basically admitted to raping a 19 year old girl (paying her off, to me, is an admission of guilt), and was suspended for…wait, he wasn’t suspended. Now he’s being marketed as a great family man who kisses his supportive wife on the way off the court after every victory. It’s sickening.

Puke inducing, even.

Nobody killed the Lakers for resigning him. But GOD FORBID an NFL team sign Michael Vick. PETA and the animal crazies will unleash hell upon them like they’ve never seen or imagined.

Because, after all, do what you want to a human….just stay away from their pets.

I bring this up because people (specifically, ESPN’s John Clayton) are suggesting that the Patriots might sign Vick to run the Wildcat offense in New England should the commissioner reinstate him.

I’m 99.999% certain this will never happen for a plethora of reasons.

But I’m 100% certain that the NFL should reinstate Vick as soon as his home confinement is up.

He paid his dues. It’s time to let him get on with his life and his career.

Follow the Patriots Examiner on Twitter: http://twitter.com/PatsExamimer

Questions? Comments? Insults? You can email them to Sean Crowe at scrowe@gmail.com.

Find more Patriots coverage like this at http://www.patriotsexaminer.com.

Head To Head: How the New York Giants Stack Up in the NFC East

One of the biggest roadblocks in the New York Giants’ quest for a Super Bowl is the fact that they play in one of the toughest divisions in football. Each season, the NFC East is a rugged dog-fight, and earning a playoff spot is never an easy task. 

Within the division, the Giants toughest competitor, as always, is the Eagles. They had a great draft and are bringing back the core of an offense that was a touchdown short of getting to last season’s Super Bowl.  
 
Despite losing the heart and soul of their secondary in Brian Dawkins, the Eagles defense is still one of the best in the NFC, and they will be a competitive force in the division. 

It all depends on the health of both Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook.  Each season, this is the biggest question mark that the Eagles face, and since they are not getting any younger, this year will be no different.

The Cowboys are still cleaning up a mess. Sure, they got rid of T.O., but Jerry Jones seems to have his head buried somewhere deep in the heart of Texas. This is a team that did not acquire a player on the first day of the draft. As for Tony Romo, I do not trust him in the big spot, and he has still not proven that he can be a championship leader in the NFL.  

Defensively, the Cowboys look like they will be a top force in the division. They played hungry (ignore the Week 17 game in Philadelphia) at the end of last season and established a really hefty pass rush, putting the D back into Big D.

Overall, Dallas does not scare me. They are the Yankees of the NFL, where the drama seems to outweigh the success. It is always something with these guys. I realize that Terrell Owens is now in Buffalo, but this team will still have to prove that it can stay away from the controversies that continue to hold them back. 

The Redskins will be a decent team in 2009, but I just don’t know if Jason Campbell is a true franchise quarterback. Apparently, the Redskins feel the same way, as they flirted with the idea of drafting Mark Sanchez. Clinton Portis is a true warrior and has become one of the best players in the NFL. He is that good. Acquiring Albert Haynesworth helps, but I think that the Redskins have the weakest defense in the division. 

Jim Zorn has gotten his feet wet, but owner Daniel Snyder is always willing to pull the fire trigger on his head coaches. If the Skins miss the playoffs, or make the playoffs and lose early, expect Snyder to make a heavy push for Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan, or even Bill Cowher, come 2010. 

In the rest of the NFC, the talent pool is pretty clear. The Arizona Cardinals had a nice run last season, the Panthers, Saints, Falcons and Bucs will all compete in a tough NFC South and I like the Seahawks to be a force now that matt Hasselbeck is healthy. Jay Cutler makes the Bears an automatic contender in the NFC North and the Vikings and Packers should be able to stay in the hunt come late December. 

After sizing up the top teams in the NFC, there is no doubt that the Giants have the best team in their conference.

The AFC is very unknown. Nobody knows what to expect from Tom Brady, the Colts just are not the same Colts, and while the Steelers should be a favorite, it is so hard to get back to the Super Bowl two seasons in a row. Just ask the last five Super Bowl Champions. I expect the Jets, Ravens, Texans and Chargers to all compete for playoff spots and possibly division titles.  

Look, we’re still months away from training camp. For all we know, the Bengals could wind up winning 11 games next year. In this age of NFL parity nowadays, you just never know. I’ll wait to make this official, but what the heck, a moth of May football prediction is just a month of May football prediction:

Super Bowl XLIV: NY Giants 24,  SD Chargers 17

Going Inside The Mind of Kawika Mitchell

 

“Touchdown Miami”: The Dynanic Dolphin Plays of 2008

Who is Patrick Cobbs, you ask?

Mr. Cobbs is the recipient of the “I can’t believe how wide open I am for a touchdown” award in 2008, and my favorite Dolphin play of the year.

This play occurred against the Houston Texans on Oct. 12, 2008 in the first quarter.

Ricky Williams takes a direct snap from center and sprints right. Pitches the ball to the QB Chad Pennington who had lined up as a wide receiver. The misdirection has the Texans’ defense confused and they refused to believe Pennington would ever throw the ball to Cobbs who had been seldom used up to that point.

Well, Pennington did.

And Cobbs was so wide open that he sprinted into the end zone 10 yards away from the closest Texans’ defender.

“Touchdown Miami.”

That’s what I call a five-star Fin Slap.

 

2. The second Dolphin gem happened Nov. 9, 2008 during a home game against the Seattle Seahawks.

In the box score it says, “Chad Pennington 39 yard pass to Ted Ginn Jr.” That leaves out the location of the pass  (back of the end zone) and pinpoint accuracy by Pennington (Ginn caught the ball about a foot distance away from out of bounds).

Add the fact that Ginn had nanoseconds to gather the ball in and get two feet down, and all of sudden, Ginn is the high first round draft pick that everyone thought he could be.

“Touchdown Miami.”

3. The Wildcat formation brought excitement to the Miami Dolphins and around the NFL.

On the afternoon of September 21, 2008, the New England Patriots felt the wrath of the now-infamous formation through the defensive eyes of it players watching Ronnie Brown left, Ronnie Brown right, Ronnie Brown through the middle.

Then, with 5:46 left in the third quarter and the Patriots needing a stop, Ronnie Brown took the snap from center, drifted left making the move like he was going to run—slowly lifting his left hand up and showing the motion of a forward pass.

A wide-open little known tight end Anthony Fasano would be the recipient of the most unlikely scenario ending of the play.

A pass from Ronnie Brown resulting in six points further extended the lead in a game where no thought that the Dolphins remotely had a chance to win in Foxboro, Mass.

“Touchdown Miami.”

 

4. If nobody remembers former Dolphin linebacker AJ Duhe harassing New York Jet QB Richard Todd in the AFC Championship game at the Orange Bowl in the early 1980s, then all you have to do is look at current Dolphin and 2008 rookie Philip Merling’s exceptional interception return of Brett Favre in what ended up being the last game of the Jet’s season.

This play was the result of pressure from the Dolphins’ defense for most of the first half in the afternoon/early evening game on December 28, 2008.

The Jets started well early but then the blitzes got to Favre. He faltered and threw a bad pass that fell directly in the arms of Merling.

Catching the ball in disbelief, Merling then rumbled in what seemed to be slow motion for 25 tards into the end zone, giving the Dolphins a lead that seemed to catapult them to the AFC East Division championship.

It was now when the team started to believe they could win, and they did.

 

“Touchdown Miami.”

 

5. If the Kansas City Chiefs thought these 2008 Miami Dolphins wouldn’t bring their bag of Wildcat tricks to the coldest played game (10 degrees F, wind chill temp of -10 degrees F) in Dolphins’ history, then they were looking at film on the wrong Miami team.

Another problem for the Chiefs might be waiting for the formation to develop.

In a sharp contrast of offensive strategy, the Dolphins wasted no time in this late December contest.

Instead of the Wildcat, Ginn raced towards Pennington on an end around before turning upfield resulting in the Dolphins’ score, 18 seconds into the game.

Further proving the Dolphins could play ball anywhere, anytime.

 

“Touchdown Miami.”

 

In a season of many great plays by the Dolphins, it was hard to come up with just five.

In my eyes, these particular plays were critical in their timing and added to the momentum of the season.

The best part is just hearing or saying the words “Touchdown Miami” and feeling the joy of the 2008 Miami Dolphin season.

 

 

The NFL Network’s Lack of Detroit Lions Coverage

The Detroit Lions are a member of the National Football League and have been for nearly 79 years if you start with the Portsmouth Lions joining the NFL in 1930 and yet, the NFL Network chooses to ignore their history.

I subscribe to the NFL Network for one reason:  They have On-Demand replays of all games after Mondays.  It allows me to get a 10 minute recap of how the Lions are looking.

The NFL Network, as well as just about any other network that covers the NFL, including ESPN, FOX, CBS, NBC and ABC, shows only the most popular teams during pre-game and post game shows.  I agree with the concept that no one wants to watch an entire game of a team that sucks.  But it seems to me that all of the major networks seem to think fans of teams actually live in their respective cities. 

Or, if a fan does have to move to a different city that happens to have an NFL team, the allegiance will shift as well.

Tell me, anyone that has had to move out of Pittsburgh, Dallas and yes, even Detroit in that situation, do you stop rooting for your hometown team? 

The NFL Network claims that it is the 24-hour football network.  I am drawn to their shows showing past games from all eras like a moth to a flame.  As a fan of the game, I eat this stuff up.  Seeing the great Charger-Dolphin playoff game from 1981 known as The Epic in Miami.  Watching the Dallas-San Francisco playoff game, also in 1981, where the legend of Joe Montana began with his pass to Dwight Clark to eliminate the favored Dallas Cowboys.

There have been other great games shown as well…the Ice Bowl, the Fog Bowl and the Greatest Game Ever Played, the 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants.

But as the NFL Network shows these games, I am hard-pressed to see any “great games” the Lions have played in from any era.  And this was a team that won 3 championships in the 1950’s.  Don’t tell me there isn’t any film on them since the NFL has been on television since the 1930’s.

The Lions have participated in some great games.  There were several memorable Thanksgiving Day games such as the1962 win over the Packers 26-14.  The Mud Bowl against the Eagles in 1968 where prior to kickoff, Eagles kicker Sam Backer made sure the ball was covered with mud.  There was the 1970 win over the Raiders who were pulling miracle wins week after week.

A personal favorite is the November 17, 1999 win over the eventual Super Bowl Champs, the St. Louis Rams.  In that game, Lions QB Gus Ferrotte completed a fourth down and forever pass to clinch a 31-27 win giving the Rams one of their three losses that year.

I’m sure that it sounds like I am tilting at windmills but for a network that claims it gives all teams pretty much the same coverage, it just doesn’t seem true to me.  Yes, they do give adequate information regarding games during the season…and when they have some of those “Top Ten” shows, they highlight some of the great players that we’ve had…but there is little shown about some of the great games they played in.

Fair is fair NFL Network…live up to your name.

San Diego Chargers: With a Little Luck

Season previews the last few years for the San Diego Chargers used to be pretty easy: As LaDainian Tomlinson goes, so do the Chargers. And to be sure, LT is still the Bolt’s bread and butter but coming into the 2009 season a caveat can be added to the general company line; LaDainian Tomlinson can get the Chargers to the playoffs, but Darren Sproles is can get the Chargers to a Championship.

Sproles was one of the most electrifying players in last year’s playoffs, picking up the slack for a less than one hundred percent LT. If Norv Turner and the Chargers staff can find a way to effectively use the one-two punch of these very different running backs the Chargers could be in business in January and February. 

Can one player change the prospect of a team so dramatically? Is it actually reasonable that the Chargers could be thinking Super Bowl? This is a team that was 8-8 last year, a team that did not draft all that well, and that has not added any significant free agents.

True, and perhaps Bolts fans shouldn’t be booking their flights to Miami just yet, but considering that nearly all the salient pieces of those Chargers teams that won 25 games in two seasons are still there, and they are playoff tested, and as streaky as all exhibitionist on a college quad, it’s not insane to think they can take a stab at a title.

Besides, how often do you see a team get hot in the playoffs and seize an unexpected Super Bowl appearance? (I’m looking at you, 2008 Cardinals). Unfortunately, if you’re a Chargers fan, you’re relying on unreliables to get you to the mountaintop because the smart money says you’re gone by the second round. The Chargers CAN do it, but will they?

That depends on Sproles. Look, because they haven’t added any names and their defense is aging (not to mention Tomlinson, who will enter his 9th year of NFL service, which is like 30 in running back years), the Chargers simply haven’t kept up with the cream of the AFC. They’re not in that conversation anymore.

The Steelers and Titans have passed them and the Colts and Patriots still have more gas in the tank. The Chargers have spent their offseason taking risks at the Draft like picking long shot Larry English in the first round and sitting on their hands when it comes to free agents. San Diego’s window is closing and they have to win now.

And to do that they’ll need to get Sproles more involved. The way they used their two running backs in the playoffs last year, not to mention the four game win streak they went on to end the regular season, gave a preview to what (if Coach Turner and his staff have half a brain) opposing defenses can look forward to seeing this season. A devastating combination of speed and power, like a two headed hydra of a ground game. Scared yet? Imagine what Oakland’s feeling.

It’s true, where talent is concerned, the Chargers are fourth or fifth in the AFC, but a playoff-bound Chargers could be mighty dangerous with a offensive attack that is weather impervious and one that will open up the game for the more than capable Philip Rivers.

The major playoff roadblocks would be the Patriots and the Steelers. The Chargers could pull a miracle against one of them (the Patriots will be the lesser of the two) but if they have to face both in the same playoffs? Forget it. The 2009 Chargers will go 10-6 and lose in the AFC Championship Game.

So where do the Chargers get 10 wins? Hmmm…let’s see…against the scrubs in their division, that’s where. This was a team that was 8-8 and 5-1 against the AFC West. And the one loss came courtesy of some questionable officiating against Denver. Plus, the rest of the field in the division was more stable last year than this year! 

All three of San Diego’s challengers are in transition. Denver has a new coach and got a new quarterback in a very professional, non-distracting manner (eye roll). Kansas City has been completely overhauled and Oakland is still toiling in the seventh circle of hell. The quarterbacks that San Diego will face in their division are two career back-ups and a fat guy from LSU. So yeah, I’ll take the Chargers, please.

Denver didn’t do anything to address it’s defensive needs and run defense will be a top priority to stop the Chargers this year. Sure, the offensive looks pretty good but it requires a lot of faith in Kyle Orton and Knowshon Moreno. 

Kansas City made all the right moves but c’mon, they won two games last year. Scott Pioli can’t play wide receiver and inside linebacker, can he? To say Matt Cassel is unproven is to say that Kansas City has a few barbeque joints. And besides, who is he going to throw to? Dwayne Bowe is a few notches down from Randy Moss.

Is Oakland still owned and operated by Al Davis? The Raiders have some talent but have shown so signs of turning that into wins and don’t count on them doing that this year.

Look, Kansas City will get better and Denver is a mystery, but does anybody honestly expect them to compete this year? As for Oakland, The Bleacher Report published an article today entitled, “It’s Time the Oakland Raiders Met Expectations.” Oh, they will this year. I fully expect them to be terrible.

The buzz phrase for the 2009 San Diego Chargers should be “Pensive Optimism.” The Chargers will make the playoffs, and once the playoffs start anything can happen, right?

 

Change a Comin’: Bengals’ OC Looks to Shake Up Play Calling

Perhaps President Barack Obama’s promise of change influenced Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski to shake up the Bengals’ playbook this season, but probably not. 

Bratkowski is most likely changing the face of his offense because it became stagnant. Too many defensive coordinators figured out that if you take the passing game away from the Bengals, you can take the offense away from them too.
 
The grip it, rip it, and forget about the running game era appears to be over. With a revamped, younger offensive line, a new fullback, and a new possession receiver to keep linebackers and defensive backs honest, it looks like the Bengals are going to commit to the run.

Fans of the NFL will finally be able to see if Cedric Benson can be the player that many thought he could be when he was drafted out of the University of Texas by the Bears. He rushed for 747 yards last season on 214 attempts, the most he’s ever had in a season. He’s never had a 1,000 yards rushing before either, but if he can attain that milestone, it could indicate that Bratkowski’s new game plan is working.

If Benson has a 1,000 yard season, it means defenses have to respect the running game, which means the Bengals can run play action until they’re blue in the face. When healthy, Carson Palmer is an elite quarterback, and he will make defenses pay that bite on play action fakes.

Bratkowski will also have some other options to depend on when Benson needs rest. It will be interesting to see how Bratkowski uses Brian Leonard. Leonard is expected to get a lot of playing time on third downs because he is considered a good blocker and a capable runner. Bratkowski could call for two back sets featuring Leonard with the thinking being that defenses won’t be able to tell if he’s in the game to run, block, or go out for pass.

If Bratkowski uses Leonard and Benson to pound the ball inside the tackles, he could use DeDe Dorsey as a change-of-pace back who can bounce the ball outside.

Running effectively is also important in case Palmer gets injured again. When Palmer got hurt last year, it’s a good bet that Bratkowski had to scrap a lot of his plays because Ryan Fitzpatrick wasn’t capable of making the throws that Palmer could. With a run first offense, it will be easier for Palmer’s back up, most likely J.T. O’Sullivan, to manage the game.

When Bratkowski does decide to have Palmer throw, Palmer will have play-making receivers to throw to.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh is gone, but the Bengals replaced him with the reliable Laveranues Coles. Coles will run the disciplined routes and make the quiet catches that Houshmandzadeh was famous for while Chris Henry goes deep and Chad Ochochicno does what he does best, be Ochocinco.

It’s likely that Bratkowski won’t forget Palmer is his quarterback and may try to light it up down field every now and then by calling some five-receiver sets. Look for Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell to fill out the receiver positions. Caldwell and Simpson worked with Palmer during the off season and it will be interesting to see if any off-season chemistry translates onto the field.

If running first works, look for the Bengals to make a playoff appearance.If it doesn’t, Bratkowski may be looking for a new job.

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