Oakland Raiders: Don’t Sleep on Frantz Joseph

Who is Frantz Joseph?

On the surface you can consider Frantz Joseph as a priority undrafted free agent linebacker capable of playing all three linebacker positions that the Oakland Raiders signed to a two-year deal. You would be correct in that assumption but it doesn’t answer the question.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNstliEo4Hs

You would also be correct if you saw this tackling machine as a hidden gem. You would imagine that with his body of work, the guy would be invited to the NFL Combine. But he was denied that privilege, and it just made him work harder.

A guy projected to be the first player player from Florida Atlantic University ever drafted, (some experts had him as high as a third or fourth round pick while others had him as a sixth round pick) Joseph was denied and went undrafted. It simply made him work harder.

Joseph is a strong inside presence, a tremendous competitor with great range and instincts. He is an excellent fit for the Raiders, a team seeking to improve their run defense by adding a tackling machine.

If he were drafted by an NFL club, it would’ve been great not only for Florida Atlantic University and their fans but also for the Sun Belt Conference.

Several times when it comes to the Raiders draft the focus is on measureables as opposed to production on the field. Some people seem to view undrafted players as merely guys that are being brought in as simply training camp bodies. I would beg to differ.

There is a long list of un-drafted players that have had success in the NFL.

That list would include names like Adewale Ogunleye, Brian Waters, Wes Welker, Priest Holmes, Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard, and Jeff Saturday, Gary Brackett, Willie Parker, Stephen Neal, Rob Bironas, Tony Romo, Antonio Gates, Kris Dielman, Jason Peters, Joshua Cribbs and 2008 Defensive player of the year James Harrison.

Upon further review when you look deeper into answering the question posed above you find a solid football player who in 2008 was the second ranked tackler in the nation recording 154 with all the tools to make an impact at the NFL level.

His journey to the NFL started as a kid in south Florida. Frantz Joseph played for David Martin at Fort Lauderdale high school football where he earned 4A All-County honors as a senior linebacker. He led the Flying L’s in tackles in 2002 & 2003.

He amassed 73 tackles in five games during the 2002 season. He followed that up with 96 tackles in seven games. He also found the time to force seven fumbles and acquire two interceptions as Ft. Lauderdale’s captain in 2003. He earned the team MVP honors, also won the All-American student-athlete award.

He attended Boston College in 2004 but did not play at all during his freshman year. He transferred in 2005 to be closer to his mother who was having health issues, but he practiced with the team.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNstliEo4Hs

Two years removed from the game, Joseph came back with a vengeance. He was moved into the starting lineup and made an immediate impact. After 11 games, he finished the year with 61 tackles, which was third on the team. Joseph’s most productive game that year came against Lafayette when he recorded a team-high 14 tackles.

He became known for his hard hits and sure tackling he earned the team’s “Bone” award, an honor earned following each victory for the hardest hit. The season-ending honor is named The Ramon Rickards Memorial Bone Award for the squad’s inaugural defensive end that was killed in a motorcycle accident in June 2006.

In 2007, he was one of just two Sun Belt Conference players listed on the Butkus Watch List. He has played hurt on more than one occasion as he did against OSU. He put up double digit tackles in victories over Minnesota, a team-high 14 tackles, 12 against North Texas.

He posted double-digit tackle totals in seven games, and his lowest tackle total was seven. Plus, while playing division one football, he completed a double major in business and management as well as working odd jobs to help support his mother.

Frantz Joseph had a solid game in Florida Atlantic University’s win in the Motor City Bowl posting 13 tackles. He followed that effort with a great game in the Texas vs. The Nation game, where he was named the MVP after making plays all over the field.

He is a high character guy that understands the importance of preparation and is a guy that will do whatever it takes to win. More importantly, he is a hard working guy with great leadership skills that has a nasty attitude and plays the game the way it is supposed to be played.

He has a desire to bring back the missing ingredients of physicality and intimidation back to the silver and black defense. They’ve been missing from this team for too long. Everything I’ve seen and read about Frantz Joseph tells me that this is a guy deserving of a shot and is a guy that you can’t sleep on.

Breaking Down the Week By Week Schedule of the 2009 49ers

As OTAs wrap up and with preseason within the five-month horizon, the San Francisco 49ers could have as many question marks surrounding their team as any other club in the league.

Concerns about personnel and exactly who will comprise the starting lineups come Sept. 13th in Glendale, AZ, as well as whether or not the offseason coaching decisions will pan out, loom large for 49er fans.

Throughout the league, wins are the bottom line, with San Francisco being no different–especially in light of new team President Jed York’s expectation for a perennial playoff contender. The team has flirted with the .500 mark several times in the last few seasons, but climbing that mountain has proved to be a difficult task.

The good news for the 49ers is the finished last season on a high note, and their ability to carry the momentum they gained from the two-game winning streak that wrapped up the year will be crucial to 2009. With only 16 games on an NFL slate, starting slow out of the gates can kill a team’s playoff hopes.

Under new Head Coach Mike Singletary, the team learned how to win on the road, pulling out a  10-3 gut-check in Buffalo in Week 13 that was their first win in the Eastern time zone in seemingly ages, and scoring a Week 16 come-from-behind win in St. Louis.

The turning point for the 49ers was likely Week 14, when they held off the New York Jets at Candlestick Park at a time when the Jets and Brett Favre were all the craze in the NFL. That game not only showed Singletary could prepare his team for prime opposition, but also likely the beginning of the end for Eric Mangini and Favre in the Big Apple.

But along with the standard roster and coaching concerns, come scheduling challenges.

One of the most important factors in a team’s playoff chances is the schedule it is dealt by the NFL.

San Francisco has seven games against 2008 playoff teams; another ’09 opponent, Chicago, was 9-7 last year and missed out on the postseason on the last day of the regular season.

The team travels to the far East coast only once, a Dec. 20 meeting with Philadelphia. The remainder of their travel is mostly centered in the Mid-West and with their NFC West rivals.

Two prime-time games are slated–both at home–with a Thursday night game against Chicago on Nov. 14th and Arizona coming to town for a Monday Night tilt on Dec. 14th.

Following is a look at the entire regular season schedule, with a look at the important matchups and what the keys will be to a 49er victory. Obviously, a lot will happen between now and the regular season that could change the outlook of these matchups, but there are few roster moves remaining that could drastically alter the lines Las Vegas will put out for them.

 

WEEK 1: SEPTEMBER 13TH @ ARIZONA

The battle for NFC West supremacy starts right out of the gates, with San Francisco returning to the desert, where their luck hasn’t been good in recent seasons.

Despite their Super Bowl loss this past February, the Cardinals will be carrying a lot of momentum and swagger into the 2009 season. Assuming Anquan Boldin is still in town (all indications are that he will be), Kurt Warner and the gang will be looking to shred the NFC West through the air yet again.

The key matchup will be the 49ers corners, mainly Nate Clements, Tarrell Brown and Dre Bly trying to contain the play-making machine that is Larry Fitzgerald, Boldin and Steve Breaston.

The 49ers were two yards short of upsetting Arizona in the desert last year, so a win is definitely within the grasp of an improved 49ers unit. However, Ken Whisenhunt made dramatic strides with this team late in the year and the improvement is likely to continue.

Winnable game, but a loss is more likely.

 

WEEK 2: SEPTEMBER 20TH VS. SEATTLE

Whether Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has returned to form will be a big factor in the San Francisco-Seattle series in 2009. If not, the 49ers will be in position to take two from the Seahawks.

Seattle still maintains a tough defense with a very solid linebacking corps, which includes rookie first-round pick Aaron Curry. The key matchup for this game will be the 49ers’ line against the Seattle pass-rush, which has wreaked all sorts of havoc on San Francisco in recent years, including the season ending hit of Alex Smith in 2007.

If the 49ers o-line can keep the quarterback on two feet and open holes to run through, San Francisco should be in control of this game.

But considering both teams traded home losses in ’08, anything can happen.

Very winnable game for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 3: SEPTEMBER 27TH @ MINNESOTA

The biggest question mark for the Vikings right now is at quarterback; unfortunately for the 49ers, they have the same question mark, and a less stellar defense than the Vikes.

Minnesota is parallel to San Francisco in many ways, however they tend to still outclass them in those similar areas. As good as Frank Gore is, Adrian Peterson was already being viewed as the best back in the league as a rookie, and Patrick Willis probably won’t be enough to stop him in Week 3.

Better chances would exist at Candlestick Park, but the 49ers would still be the underdog. In Minneapolis inside the dome, it’s probably too much to ask of the young squad.

Likely loss for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 4: OCTOBER 4TH VS. ST. LOUIS

Last year brought about a little deja vu for 49er fans, as they got back to dominating the Rams the way long-time fans are accustomed to. a new coaching hire and some solid drafting isn’t likely to change that anytime soon.

The matchup to watch in this game will be the 49ers’ linebackers against running back Steven Jackson. if they can slow him down, it will enable the pass rush, mainly Justin Smith, Parys Haralson and Manny Lawson, to try exploit Jason Smith, the rookie tackle the Rams drafted to replace Orlando Pace.

It will probably be too much to ask of the young Rams squad to stroll into San Francisco and steal a game from what should be an upstart 49er team.

Likely victory for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 5: OCTOBER 11TH VS. ATLANTA

Working in the 49ers favor will be the fact that their Week 5 game with the Falcons will be the second home game in a row; on paper, not much else works out in their favor.

With a very promising second-year man under center, one of the top backs in the league and Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez added to the already talented receiving corps, the Falcons have plenty of weapons at their disposal coming off their playoff season in 2008.

This will be the first true test for the 49er defense in terms of defending the pass; will they be able to contain the likes of Gonzalez and and Roddy White, or will Matt Ryan have a field day on the 49er secondary? Even if the pass is contained, they still have to worry about 2008 fantasy icon Michael Turner running wild.

If the 49ers can limit the potent Falcon offense, it will be an indication of great things to come. Unfortunately, it may be too much, too soon to ask the Niner defense.

Likely loss for the 49ers.

 

WEEK 6: OCTOBER 18TH, BYE

 

WEEK 7: OCTOBER 25TH AT HOUSTON

While Houston isn’t the most formidable team on the 49ers’ schedule, the bye week comes at the right time, as San Francisco will likely be coming off a tough game against Atlanta, and the time off to prepare for the Texans’ dangerous pass rush will come in handy.

Houston is similar to the 49ers in that they are a team that has been dancing near the .500 mark in recent seasons, and each year feel it’s their turn to contend for the playoffs.

They might have found their back of the future in former West Virginia star Steve Slaton, who posted 1282 yards last season as a rookie. But if they continue to get inconsistent play out of quarterback Matt Schaub, they could be spending another January at home.

The 49ers proved that they could win these type of road games last year, and barring a major setback, should be able to continue that trend in ’09.

If the 49ers can shut down all-world wide out Andre Johnson, or at least contain him, they should be able to keep Houston’s offense in check and control the ball on offense by way of Frank Gore. Look for the 49ers to double-cover Johnson and hammer the ball with Gore 30-plus times.

Very winnable road-game for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 8: NOVEMBER 1ST @ INDIANAPOLIS

This is where 49er fans start to find out if their team is a contender or pretender.

No matter what the team’s record is coming into Indy, expectations for the 49ers will be low in this game.

Difficulties containing Peyton Manning, stopping the rushing attack (which just added heralded rookie Donald Brown in the draft), and finding an answer to their pass rush will only be amplified trying to do it on the road.

This could be the first ugly loss of the year for San Francisco, and while moral victories don’t exist with Coach Singletary, playing the Colts tough will show the 49ers are no longer easy prey for the NFL’s elite.

Chalk this up as a loss.

 

WEEK 9: NOVEMBER 8TH VS. TENNESSEE

Despite returning home, it doesn’t get any easier in Week 9 as the Titans, the top-seeded AFC team in last year’s playoffs, come to town.

Marching into Candlestick with them will be the two-headed monster consisting of running backs LenDale White and Chris Johnson, with the latter carrying a chip on his shoulder after being snubbed for NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 2008.

This game will show how far Greg Manusky’s defensive unit has come. Stopping the Titan’s rushing attack will be nearly impossible, containing it could open the door for the Niners to steal this game at home.

The matchup here will be White and Johnson vs. Willis and Takeo Spikes. If they can slow down the Titan backs and the 49ers’ offense can avoid the three-and-out, San Francisco has a chance. Unfortunately, not a very large one.

Winnable game, but more likely a loss.

 

WEEK 10: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH VS. CHICAGO

With the 49ers getting only four days rest before their Thursday night affair with the Bears, the outcome of this game could depend largely on their ability to come out of the Tennessee game healthy.

Considering the physical style of football the Titans play–which Singletary has made clear he plans to implement–San Francisco is likely to come into this game banged up.

As such, the 49ers depth will be tested in Week 10.

Will the back up running backs, lineman, and linebackers be able to pick up some slack? If so, San Francisco could pull this one out.

Chicago’s acquisition of quarterback Jay Cutler makes them better than last season on paper, but he proved in Denver that he could hurl the ball all over the field and still not get his team to the playoffs. In Chicago, his receivers only get worse.

Considering what the Bears gave up to acquire Cutler, it’s highly unlikely they will be dealing for a prized receiver any time soon.

The real concern for the 49ers will be Matt Forte, who emerged in 2008 as the first quality back the Bears had drafted since Neal Anderson. If Willis, Spike and company can shut Forte down, they should be able to keep Cutler in check.

This game could go either way, but if the 49ers can maintain their health in Week 9, they could win this game.

 

WEEK 11: NOVEMBER 22ND @ GREEN BAY

In San Francisco, you have a team theoretical on the upswing. In Green Bay, you have a team two years removed from an NFC Championship appearance that went 6-10 last year.

By Week 11, fans will have a much better idea on the direction either team is headed.

Like most of the league, San Francisco has never had much luck at Lambeau Field. Barring a continued regression on the part of the Packers, the 49ers’ luck probably won’t change in 2009.

They seem to match up well on paper, but the home field advantage at Lambeau can’t be understated. Only dominant teams come into Green Bay and take care of business, and the 49ers aren’t in that category yet.

The ten days off following the Thursday night game will help, as would a stellar performance by the 49er secondary against a stacked Packer receiver corps that includes Donald Driverand Greg Jennings.

But while it’s not completely out of the question, chances are the 49ers will pick up a loss in Week 11.

 

WEEK 12: NOVEMBER 29TH VS. JACKSONVILLE

Only two seasons ago, Jacksonville looked poised break through the upper ranks of the NFL.

Instead, they stumbled to a 5-11 record in 2008 and had to regroup in the offseason.

The key to this game rests squarely on Maurice Jones-Drew’s shoulders. Stop him, and the 49ers come out on top.

The Jags still don’t have a real threat at receiver, and David Garrard was rather mediocre last season. Fred Taylor is no longer there to share the load with Jones-Drew, leaving him as the lone proven playmaker on the Jags offense.

Bay Area native “MJD” will probably have some extra motivation on his side when he takes the field in San Francisco, but an improving 49ers’ defense should be able to stuff that motivation and force Garrard to beat them through the air, which won’t happen.

The trip west won’t help matters for Jacksonville either.

Likely victory for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 13: DECEMBER 6TH @ SEATTLE

Late in the season, this contest could have division title or wild-card ramifications, depending on the kind of improvement both teams have made.

As in their first meeting, San Francisco’s ability to keep the pass rush at bay will be an important factor, but even more critical will be the 49ers rushing attack.

The 49ers will need to rely heavily and Frank Gore to carry the load and keep the pressure off the quarterback and linemen in the notoriously loud and hostile Qwest Field. If San Francisco falls behind and has to throw the ball to stay in the game, chances are whoever is under center will be under duress and the line will chalk up plenty of false-start penalties.

Establish Gore early, and the 49ers could ride him to victory.

The outcome could go either way.

 

WEEK 14: MONDAY, DECEMBER 14TH VS. ARIZONA

If all is right in San Francisco, this game will be for the NFC West title.

A two-yard fullback dive in the final seconds of last year’s game at Arizona wound up being the difference between 8-8 and the playoffs and 7-9 and the 10th pick in the draft. Basically, these teams weren’t that far off in the regular season.

If San Francisco is improved like they should be, this should be their game for the taking.

They’ll need a complete game on defense, but what is going to win it for the 49ers will be error free football on offense–which as we all know also includes the coaches on the sidelines.

If the offense can produce and keep the Arizona passing attack off the field, it should be a coming out party for the 49ers in the national spotlight.

Winnable game for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 15: DECEMBER 20TH @ PHILADELPHIA

Regardless of whether San Francisco pulls it off in Week 14, hopes shouldn’t be high for 49er fans in Week 15.

Having to make their longest trip of the season, on a short week, against one of the top teams in the NFC adds up to a loss in this one.

San Francisco’s best chance will be to contain the Eagles’ running game and hope for an implosion from Donavan McNabb (not completely out of the question).

The 49ers don’t fare too well in Philly, and that won’t change in ’09.

Chalk up a loss in Week 15.

 

WEEK 16: DECEMBER 27TH VS. DETROIT

The NFL delivers a present in time for the holidays to the 49ers in Week 16, but not only keeping them at home but sending the first ever 0-16 team to face them.

Detroit can only get better than last year, which included a 31-13 embarrassment at Candlestick last season, but the rebuilding effort will take much longer than 15 games.

As long as San Francisco plays steady on both sides of the ball, and assuming they are chasing a playoff spot, they should handle the Lions with ease.

Probably the easiest game of the year for San Francisco.

 

WEEK 17: JANUARY 3RD AT ST. LOUIS

When Jed York spoke last year of no longer ending seasons in December, he probably wasn’t referring to a January 3rd regular season finale with the Rams.

But, with the 49ers likely to be a middle-of-the-pack NFC team clawing and scratching its way toward a playoff berth, this game could determine whether they play further into January.

If that is the case, the 49ers will want to avoid the same fate as the ’08 Bears team that saw its playoff hopes vanish in the final week of the season.

The 49ers should enter this game a favorite, but nothing is guaranteed, especially considering that the Rams squad that had them on the ropes in St. Louis last season is probably going to be improved.

This time around, the 49ers will need to focus on the Rams’ young receivers. Early in the season, second-year men Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton will still be developing.

Come January, they could pose a real threat inside the dome with Marc Bulger leading the charge.

If the 49ers can control the ball on offense and force the Rams to beat them with Steven Jackson, their defense should b able to secure a victory.

Probable win for the 49ers.

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With this overall assessment, the best-case scenario for the 49ers looks to be 10-6 and a playoff birth, but that is a stretch at this point, considering the likelihood for all NFL teams to lay an egg once or twice a year against lesser opponents. Along those same lines, a three-game swing in the win column may be too much to expect from the young squad.

The outlook seems good in San Francisco, however it’s not all feel-good stories and total optimism for the 49ers going into 2009.

The team is without a time-proven starter under center, and has a new offensive coordinator with baggage that includes a career 67-125 record. The defense still needs to establish a pass rush and shore up holes in the secondary.

While it may have appeared that the 49ers defense improved in the nine games under Singletary last season, it only managed to trim about 25 yards per game off the 339 yards per game it surrendered with Mike Nolan at the helm. Obviously, 315 yards allowed per game is still too steep.

The offense seemed to find a spark with Singletary as well, but it remains to be seen whether that was a result of his motivational reach spanning the entire team, or Mike Martz pulling out all the stops in his effort to land the head coaching job.

Optimism is contagious, especially amongst 49er fans, but it will probably take until mid-season before they know if a positive outlook has been validated.

Saints Finding a New ‘D’

Apparently, not enough can be said about the New Orleans Saints’ offense. From head coach Sean Payton’s coaching brilliance to quarterback Drew Brees’ ability to pick apart an opposing team’s defensive secondary to running back Reggie Bush’s much anticipated return, people everywhere go ga-ga for the Saints scoring side of the ball.

However, it was a scoring problem on the defensive side of the ball (the Saints finished 26th in the league in points allowed) that most likely kept the Saints out of the playoffs last season. This offseason, the New Orleans front office attempted to remedy its defensive woes with some key draft picks and free agency signings. Those signings and draft pickups are going to be key players in the formula for the Saints’ success in the 2009 season.

As the Saints’ draft showed, the primary concern for the 2009 season was finding a future star to anchor the defensive backfield. Of course, who can blame the team for searching for a new star defensive back as cornerback Mike McKenzie was lost to injury and the team finished in the bottom half of the league in pass defense. The Saints recognized that McKenzie was a huge loss and were desperate to remedy his absence.

“Losing a player like Mike McKenzie is pretty significant,” Payton told the media during Saints organized team activities. “He’s a guy who has been a real good corner, not only for us but in the league for a long time.”

Two players looking to fill the gap left by McKenzie will be rookie Malcolm Jenkins, an All-Big Ten performer at Ohio State, free agent signee and six-year veteran Jabari Greer and second year player Tracy Porter, who had a promising start for the Saints in 2008 prior to breaking his wrist. While Jenkins missed the late OTA, both Porter and Greer were present and Payton was pleased with what he saw and is excited about his defensive backfield’s potential.

“We saw a lot of good things from (Porter) early on before the injury against Minnesota and he’s definitely a guy that is going to be pushing to be on the field, not only in a sub position but as a full-time starter,” Payton said.

“I think (Greer) has pretty good instincts,” Payton said. “He has pretty good quickness and agility and good ball skills. He’s a guy that does a good job in man coverage and can play zone. He provides us with another player that can come in and compete at that position and I think all these guys understand that.”

While Payton made it clear that starting positions were not being determined during OTAs, he also made it clear that he and first-year defensive coordinator Gregg Williams are happy to have 12-year veteran, and free-agent acquisition, Darren Sharper on board at the safety position to help the young defensive backfield.

“There are a lot of nuances to playing that position and when you have a veteran player, the players that are playing alongside of him can benefit from that,” Payton said. “I think that can help.”

Another free agent joining the Saints in 2009 on the defensive side of the ball is seven-year veteran linebacker Dan Morgan. Morgan was picked up from the Panthers, and, though he hasn’t played a complete season in his NFL career, Payton is confident that Morgan will be in the mix come kickoff.

“He’s experienced and he’s a guy who has been very productive and very successful in our league,” Payton said. “The key with him is that he’s in real good shape. He works extremely hard and he has trained well so I think the layoff in his case in regards to the physical aspect probably isn’t as significant. The key is the mental work that he’s doing along with the rest of these guys as they’re picking up the system. As we move into training camp and put pads on, him staying healthy will be the big thing.”

Finally, the Saints have one more big name signing that they expect to be making a bid for the starting lineup when they open the season on Sept. 13 against the Detroit Lions. On May 19, New Orleans signed four-year veteran defensive end Anthony Hargrove, who was coming off of his one-year suspension for repeatedly failing drug tests.

Hargrove has had a big imact on the field, totaling 6.5 sacks in his only season starting with the St. Louis Rams in 2005. Although the Saints have several talented defensive lineman, Payton is excited to have Hargrove on board and confident that his past issues are just that … in the past.

“I think you give (Hargrove’s suspension) a lot of weight,” Payton said. “You look closely at it and you try to treat each case individually and spend a lot of time asking questions that we feel like are the right questions. If you get the right answers and you feel like your research is positive, then you’re in position to sign a player like that. If you don’t, then you move on. In his case, we felt good about those answers.”

There will be plenty of position battles and new faces on New Orleans defense. However, much of the pressure to revamp a defense that struggled last season, finishing in the bottom half of every major statistical category, will fall on Williams. Payton is happy with the new attitude that former Bills head coach and Jaguars defensive coordinator is bringing to the team.

“They’ve been flying around and you can see that there’s a big emphasis in turning the ball over, getting your hands on the ball and trying to take the gray area out of whether it was complete or not and whether it was a fumble or not,” Payton said. “Anything that’s on the ground, they’re doing a good job of getting to the ball and I think that’s a big first step in playing good defense and I think Gregg and the staff have done a good job of starting with that emphasis of speed to the ball and getting hands on the ball.”

Throughout this summer, there will be a lot of new faces around the Saints complex, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Though it’s hard to be sure which ones will be on the field come opening day, it’s easy to see that things will be different for the New Orleans defense this season.

Smith and Marinelli Reunite As Bears Coaching Staff Takes on New Look

To be a good coach, you need the right mentor. For Lovie Smith, that was Tony Dungy.

Smith grew up a defense man, winning three state championships in a row as a defensive end and linebacker for his high school in Big Sandy, Texas from 1973-75. After becoming a two-time All-American as a linebacker and safety for the University of Tulsa, he returned home in 1980 to take on his first coaching position as defensive coordinator for his high school.

Smith never forgot those who educated him, returning to Tulsa three years later to coach the linebackers before moving on to various other teams including Big Ten schools such as Wisconsin and Ohio State.

But it was under the leadership of Tony Dungy where Smith learned the ropes of the NFL. As a linebacker coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Smith watched Dungy take control as head coach, implementing what is now known as Tampa 2 defense and transforming the Bucs back into a winning team from 1996-2001. Even when the team fell behind, Dungy pushed everyone to keep fighting, and, in his six years with the team, they made the playoffs four times.

Taking what he learned from Dungy, Smith moved north to St. Louis in 2001 to become defensive coordinator for the Rams. Smith reached his first Super Bowl that year after significantly improving the Rams defense.

From there, he continued to move north up the ladder, replacing Dick Jauron as head coach of the Bears in 2004.

Many fans took a liking to Smith when he coached the team to their first Super Bowl appearance in 20 years in 2006. The Bears blew the game against the Colts, as Smith surrendered the title of “first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl” to his old friend Dungy.

But now the Bears are struggling again and many Chicagoans are not loving Lovie.

Personally, I would have fired him and his staff after the Atlanta game last season. The Bears had a miraculous comeback, taking the lead 20-19 with 11 seconds left in the game, and what do the coaches decide to do? A short kick. Who does a short kick with 11 seconds left in the game? It cost the Bears the game and inevitably a playoff spot. Even if Smith didn’t make the call, he’s the one in control. He had the power to reverse it.

After finishing the season 9-7 and failing to make the playoffs, Smith fired linebackers coach Lloyd Lee, defensive backs coach Steve Wilks, and defensive line coach Brick Haley in the span of two weeks. It’s been five years since Smith has had to replace three position coaches in the offseason, but this time, he had friends in mind.

Going back to his Tampa days, Smith decided to hire his buddy Rod Marinelli to replace Haley. Marinelli helped the Lions become the first team in NFL history to go 0-16, but then again, the Bears are used to picking up coaches who set losing records when they take on the daunting task of head coach.

Let’s not forget where offensive coordinator Ron Turner was before his second stint with the Bears. After working with head coach Dave Wannstedt from 1993 to 1996 as offensive coordinator, Turner tested his talents as head coach with the University of Illinois.

In eight years with the team, he went winless in the Big 10 twice and became the only coach in Illinois’ 100 year history to lose 11 games in a season in 1997. He did lead the team to the Sugar Bowl in 2001 with a Big Ten Conference Championship, but went on to have losing seasons three years in a row and was fired.

The Bears again hired Turner as their offensive coordinator in 2005. Now working with Smith, Turner has proved he belongs on the field, just not as head coach (so there’s hope for Marinelli). Under Turner’s guidance, the Bears finished the 2007 season with 3,302 passing yards, the third most in franchise history. And this year, Turner actually has talent on the field with Jay Cutler so he should be able to beat that record.

But Smith may have made a mistake in his pick to fill the hole as linebackers coach, his old pal Bob Babich.

Babich worked with Smith in St. Louis as the linebackers coach in 2003. He then went with Smith to Chicago in 2004, and served as linebackers coach for the Bears for the next three seasons (along with assistant head coach in 2006). But after the Bears failed to win the Super Bowl in 2006, defensive coordinator Ron Rivera’s contract wasn’t renewed.  Babich was promoted to the position, and ever since the D has been falling apart.

Instead of addressing the fact that Babich coached the defense to fall to 21st in the league last season, Smith has kept him as DC and once again made him a linebackers coach.

With all of his defensive background, Smith has decided that he will call the bulk of the defensive plays. But unless Smith, Babich and the rest of the Bears coaching staff start to focus on stopping the pass and not just the run, they are going to struggle yet again.

Bottom line: stay on Smith’s good side because he’s the one making the call. Buddy up with him and you’re bound to be promoted, but don’t attempt to come up with your own play or you’ll be fired.

For Eagles Coach Andy Reid, It’s Still a Pass-First Play-Calling World

The question hangs over Andy Reid like mold growing in a basement.

 

If anyone knows how it feels for LeBron James to be asked over and over again if he’s leaving Cleveland for Madison Square, it’s the Philadelphia Eagles head coach. Only unlike LeBron, Reid doesn’t enjoy the one relentless query that hounds him with the dogged persistence of a professional debt collector. In fact, he pretty much hates it.

 

So Andy, are you going to run the ball more this year?

 

Reid usually answers by arguing that the Eagles’ run-pass ratio gets blown out of proportion. He’ll insists that he doesn’t harbor some deep-seeded resentment of Woody Hayes’ old “three yards and a cloud of dust” offensive philosophy.

 

Eagle observers—and opponents—know better of course. The stats do not lie. The Eagles threw the ball on almost 60 percent of their downs in 2008, calling 606 pass plays to 427 runs. While that’s not completely out of line in a league that’s turned increasingly pass dependent (thanks in no small part to Bill Belichick’s New England reign), it’s left many Eagle fans frustrated.

 

Now, aggressive offseason moves and a widely praised draft have seemingly brought all the pieces together for the Eagles to put out the best rushing attack of the Andy Reid era.

 

The team’s brain trust traded for Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters—at the not-so-small expense of three draft picks. They signed Stacy Andrews to further bolster the offensive line. They used a second round draft pick on Pittsburgh tailback LeSean McCoy with the hope of finally providing a dangerous complement to spell Brian Westbrook, the team’s lifeline. They even brought in a true blocking fullback in Leonard Weaver.

 

Just don’t expect it all to make a huge difference. Not in play-calling philosophy. Not with Reid still the man in charge.

 

In the Eagles mini-camps, Reid has talked about throwing early to set up the run in the second half. The coach’s idea is that the team will rack up a lead by airing out the ball in the first half and then protect it by grinding down the clock with a steady diet of runs in the second half.

 

It sounds good. Until one remembers that this is the NFL, the one sports league where parity truly rules. This isn’t a game of Madden. How many blowouts do you think there are in the real NFL every year?

 

Eight of the Eagles’ 16 regular season games in 2008 were decided by nine points or less. Five of Philadelphia’s six losses came by seven points or fewer.

 

These are the games in which complaints about Reid’s run aversion inevitably follow.

 

Still, the biggest changes in the Eagles’ playbook for this upcoming season figure to come in the passing game. The addition of first-round playmaker Jeremy Maclin and his 4.48 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine will allow quarterback Donovan McNabb to look for the deep ball more often, even in the West Coast Offense.

 

Maclin and second-year receiver DeSean Jackson—who Reid says is playing faster this year now that he’s more comfortable in the pro game—still do not equal one Terrell Owens in his prime, but this is still arguably McNabb’s best set of targets since the TO 2005 Super Bowl run.

 

Expect Andy Reid to still turn to those wide receivers first and foremost.

 

“We’re striving to lead the league in rushing this year,” Reid cracked earlier this month.

 

The coach didn’t have to tell anyone he was joking. And Eagles fans still aren’t laughing.

Jags Still Have a Few Areas of Need Following a Turbulent Offseason

Following the Jaguars’ disappointing 2008 campaign in which they finished 5-11, the team went back to the proverbial drawing board to reevaluate the current talent on the roster. Upon that evaluation, wholesale changes were made to the wide receiving corps, and nearly each and every player that had a run-in with the law or the coaching staff was sent packing. 

“I want people in the locker room and on this team to have the substance of character that when you have difficult times or you are faced with adversity they are going to respond in a positive way,” Jaguars new GM Gene Smith said. 

The Jaguars said goodbye to longtime fixtures of the team, such as Fred Taylor, Paul Spicer, and Mike Peterson, as well as saying good riddance to free agent busts Jerry Porter and Drayton Florence. The team also washed their hands of underachieving draft picks such as Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, Khalif Barnes, and Gerald Sensabaugh, and now the squad that takes the field this September will have a much different look of the one that finished 2008. 

“I believe in having a locker room full of unselfish players, a staff of unselfish coaches, and that together we can accomplish great things,” Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio said.

Although some of the team’s moves may prove to be addition by subtraction, there is still a lot of talent missing which will likely force some younger, inexperienced players into roles that they may not be quite ready for. These are the growing pains of a team that’s re-tooling, even if they don’t want to go as far as using the term “rebuilding.”

The Jaguars have certain questions on the defensive side of the ball that need to be answered, and it’s very unclear whether the rookies that they will be counting on will be able to be contributors early on.

One area of need is certainly at defensive tackle.

Former first-round pick John Henderson is aging, Rob Meier showed that he wasn’t nearly as effective as many believed when forced into a starting role a year ago, and although Derek Landri added weight in the offseason, the third-year player from Notre Dame will likely still be a situational guy.

The Jaguars will likely depend on this year’s third-round pick, former Temple defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, who was considered to be a third-round reach by many draft experts.  

“The Jaguars definitely reached big time with Terrance Knighton in the third,” Scout.com NFL Draft Expert Chris Steuber said on the CB Sports Radio show last week. “Knighton was a solid player at Temple, but nobody I talked to had him going before the fifth round.”

Perhaps the most glaring hole for the Jaguars in 2009 will be at strong safety, as they let Gerald Sensabaugh walk in free agency and replaced him with former Philadelphia Eagle Sean Considine.

Considine is a solid special teams player, but is considered to be a liability in coverage. Jacksonville didn’t draft anyone at safety, and with there being little more than scraps left in free agency, the team will likely have to depend on Considine to be a starter, a job that few think he’s equipped to handle.

“Whether that (winning the starting job) happens or not, it’s going to be up to the competition that goes on and I’m just looking forward to a challenge, which I know I’ll get down here,” Considine said. 

Offensively, the team has an entirely new corps of wide receivers and that is probably a good thing, being that the last set seemingly left the organization and the fan base frustrated year after year.

Still, the team is depending on a 32-year-old veteran who doesn’t possess the foot-speed he once had in Torry Holt, as well as a pair of rookies that were second-day picks in Mike Thomas and Jarett Dillard. Throw in a veteran who has always had issues with his hands in Dennis Northcutt, and a talented, yet injury prone wideout in Mike Walker, and although wide receiver appears to be an improvement, it’s a position that’s far from settled. 

Every team in the NFL has “pimples,” or if you prefer to use the term “holes” on their rosters. The Jaguars have a few more than most of last season’s playoff teams, and that’s to be expected with a team in the midst of a youth movement coming off a 5-11 season. 

 

NFL Under the Bleachers: May 26

Remembering the Fallen

It’s important to remember this past Memorial Day that some of the same players who thrill us on any given Sunday also defend us from any given enemy. From Pat Tillman, who lost his life in Afghanistan, to Nile Kinnick, who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War II, we thank them for their service.

The AFC Beast: A Close Look at a Crazy Division

There are several storylines to follow in the AFC East it’s really not a division – it’s a soap opera. Tom Brady makes his dramatic return to the Pats, Mark Sanchez makes his dramatic beginning with the Jets, and on the Bills, Terrell Owens will be just plain dramatic.

The Ghost of Bill Walsh

Is the success of the old 49ers teams haunting the new squad? Even new coach Mike Singletary has some bad memories of San Fran dropping the Bears in 1984. But if there’s anyone who can exorcise the Bill Walsh demon, it’s the high priest of the defensive line.

Alphabet Soup: The Best Green Bay Names of All Time

In which we, that’s right, detail all of the coolest, weirdest names of Packer history … letter-by-letter, through the entire alphabet. Hey, we might be pointless, but at least we’re thorough. Besides, how can you not love a name like Marger Apsit and Jug Earp?

The NFL’s Most Overrated Players

More thoroughness. We run through everyone who stinks – sorry about Jason Peters, Philadelphia – to everyone who probably will stink – enjoy that signing bonus, Matt Stafford – to everyone who has stunk and will stink again once he comes back again with the Vikings. We’ll let you figure that name out for yourselves.

Even Superhero-Like Bill Belichick Has Sidekicks (A Coaching Staff)

There’s no such thing as a one-man army. Scooby Doo couldn’t solve mysteries without his gang of meddling kids. Master Splinter mentored the Ninja Turtles in order to defeat Shedder and his foot clan. And even Superman relied on the justice league from time to time.

It’s no different in the NFL. Greatness is not achieved by one man—even for Bill Belichick, whose five Super Bowl rings is tied for second all time in the league’s history, needs a strong supporting cast.

Like Scooby, Splinter and Superman, Belichick has assembled a battle tested collection of sidekicks who have helped lead New England to a decade of success.

Entering the 10th season of the Belichick Era in New England there are four coaches that have been in Foxboro from day one—Dante Scarnecchia, Pepper Johnson, Ivan Fears, and Mike Woicik.

Together the four accomplices bring 112 years of coaching experience, 75 of which have come in the NFL. Not to mention their Super Bowl bling that covers nearly three and half hands (17).

But even with the longevity in the league and a laundry list of accomplishments, Belichick’s associates never seem to emerge from the shadows of Gillette Stadium as the head coach doesn’t allow assistant coaches to speak to the media.

So who are these guys?

No Patriot coach is more tenured that Scarnecchia. He’s called New England his home for quarter century. When Belichick became the Patriots’ head coach in 2000, Scarnecchia immediately became his Robin, as he was named assistant head coach in addition to manning the offensive line.

There isn’t a man that has been a part of more Patriots history than Scarnecchia. He is the only Patriot to be a member of all six of the team’s Super Bowl appearances. Scarnecchia was a part of the Patriots coaching staff in 13 of the 16 seasons the Pats have made the playoffs and has been involved in 30 of the franchises 34 postseason wins.

Entering his 40th year in coaching, Scarnecchia started his career as the offensive line coach at California Western. He made numerous pit stops at the collegiate level before becoming the special team/tight ends coach for the Patriots in 1982.

 After seven years he left New England for a two year hiatus and directed the O-line for the Colts. In ’91 he returned to Foxboro and has been all over the field piloting the tight ends, special teams, linebackers, and offensive line.

While manning the special teams in ’97 he coached the league’s second best punter in Tom Tupa. Under Scarnecchia, Tupa set a franchise record for yards per punt (45.8).  

Tracking down the returner, Larry Wigham earned a trip to Hawaii as the AFC’s special teams representative in the Pro Bowl.

Last season Scarnecchia’s offensive line broke a string of four consecutive years of allowing 30 sacks or less. The run included the 2007 season in which the line allowed a NFL record 21 sacks, the lowest since the league adopted at 16 game season.

That success led to three of his O-linemen getting named to the Pro Bowl and SI.com naming him Assistant Coach of the Year.

Working closely with Scarnechia is Ivan Fears, the Pats’ running back coach entering his 19th season in the league and 13th in New England. Fears, is the MacGyver of the coaching staff. Give him nothing and he can make something out of it.

During his tenure he’s had Hall of Fame caliber running backs like Cory Dillon and rookie free agents like BenJarvus Green-Ellis and has succeeded with both.

Dillon set the franchise record for rushing yards in a season with 1,635 in 2004 by leading the NFL with an average of 109 yards per game.

When he was dealt with a bad hand, he still won the pot. Last season with four backs and quarterback Matt Cassel attempting at least 73 rushes, the squad had the sixth best rushing attack in the league racking up 2,278 yards.

The 4.4 yards per carry was the best the franchise saw since 1983. All this was with starter Laurence Maroney playing just four games. 

The defense  has the coach that has been teamed with Belichick the longest, Pepper Johnson. Ten of this 13 years as a player were spent under Belichick’s guide. Johnson followed him from the Giants to the Browns and ended his playing career with Bill as a Jet.

When Bill came to New England Johnson followed, coaching the linebackers from 2000-2003, then moved to the defensive line in ’04. He’s got a lot of Wolverine in him, minus the metal claws.

For any fan who has been to training camp it’s easy to notice Johnson still brings the intensity that made him an All Pro linebacker to the practice field.

He’s one of the only coaches that can be heard barking at his players while noticeably jumping up and down in efforts to make them work harder. Something must be clicking as this intensity brought him two championships as a player and three more as a coach.

Not to mention under his tutelage Vince Wilfork morphed himself into a Pro Bowl caliber tackler, anchoring one of the deepest lines in the league.

The last cog in Belichick’s machine is also the most unknown. Mike Woicik has been the Patriots’ strength and condition coach since 2000. But his resume is much richer. His offseason programs have kept postseason regulars fresh season after season.

Woicik began his NFL career at Dallas winning three Super Bowls under Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer. Then was baited to New Orleans by Hall of Famer Mike Ditka. His three more rings with the Pats made him the first player or coach to win three Super Bowls.

He held the honor from 2004 until last year when Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney won his sixth.

There have been many sidekicks for Belichick throughout his dominance of the AFC East. Charlie Weiss, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and most recently Josh McDaniel and Scott Pioli have all been seen as members of Belichick’s league of Justice, but few remain.

As he enters his tenth year in New England just four remain each with different superhero like quality. Maybe they should just be called the Fantastic Four.

Preview: The Seattle Seahawks Perfect Offseason (2010 edition)

Every offseason there are winners and losers. To the optimists among us, this past offseason set the Hawks up for a good (if not great) shot at making a run and possible playoff berth.

For those of you like myself, you have your doubts…
the offense is contingent on a zone-blocking scheme that (although productive in the past) is headed off by a group that seriously needs to prove itself.

The passing defense… ranked 32nd out of 32 teams. Not good. With the addition of K Lucas (aka Ken “toast” Lucas) to bolster the group they should see some improvement, but with the recieving cores of Arizona and San Fransisco a little improvement will probably NOT go a long way.

With the addition of C Cole and C Reading (how they could trade all-pro J Peterson for all-no C Reading is rediculous… oh right, they got a 5th rounder out of it also.) the group remains untested (as most of the Seahawks roster is looking these days)

If these question marks can come together (and by that I mean if this renewed coaching staff can light a fire under some asses) than I’ll be far more likely to turn on sportcenter this year after a Seahawks game, hoping I won’t have to see another mark in the L column.

Do not despair, there have been some good moves to accompany the questionable ones, like the signing of Housh-somethin-somethin, C Cole, and a couple of backup / role players, of drafting A Curry, M Unger, and D Butler, and of picking up the Broncos 2010 first rounder.

Some would call this a success, but with an aging O Line and a Secondary that (minus M Trufant) has been toast there is still some work to be done. So, here is my best case scenario for the Seattle Seahawks 2010 offseason.

Pittsburgh Steelers Ready For More Of The Same

The Steelers playbook hasn’t changed a whole lot over the years.  If you watch a tape of Neil O’Donnell handing off to Barry Foster, it looks eerily similar to Kordell Stewart handing off to Jerome Bettis, or Ben Roethlisberger handing off to Willie Parker.

 

The blocking schemes, the path of the fullback, the motion of the wide receivers – everything is substantially alike, except the green turf of Three Rivers Stadium.

 

Like everyone else, though, the Steelers must tinker.  Their roster hasn’t changed much —20 of the 22 starters from last year are back—and the coaching staff remains the same. But there are a couple things we might see differently in 2009, starting with…

 

 

More throws to Willie Parker

 

Fast Willie Parker is best when he gets the ball in space. They don’t call him Fast Willie for nothing—the guy is fast.

Yet, for whatever reason, he hardly ever gets the ball thrown to him on screens or dump-offs. In fact, he hardly gets the ball thrown to him at all. 

 

Since becoming a regular starter in 2006, he has averaged about 18 catches per season, a little more than one per game.  Last year, he had 3 catches.

 

For the season.

 

Maybe tradition dictates that the Steelers feature back must a) run exclusively between the tackles, b) hardly ever play on 3rd downs, and c) not catch many passes. Guys like Jerome Bettis and Bam Morris rarely caught many balls, but that was natural—those guys were big, bulldozing power backs.

 

Parker is powerful but not big.  He can move when he gets the ball on the outside. I know he’s not always healthy, but he started 11 games last year and caught 37 less balls than Mewelde Moore. That can’t happen again.

 

Rashard Mendenhall is back in the lineup after missing most of his rookie year. The Steelers feel he can be a power-type back, indicating as much when they released Gary Russell last month.

 

While Moore has been great, Parker needs to play more on 3rd downs and, ultimately, catch more passes.  He’s too versatile to remain a 2-down bruiser.

 

 

More defensive versatility.

 

With the departure of LB Larry Foote, emerging LB Lawrence Timmons will be on the field more.  Timmons can run much better than Foote and could push the Pittsburgh defense into another dimension.

 

With Timmons on board, the Steelers now have four linebackers who can play inside or outside. 

 

Farrior played outside last year on the Steelers well-known blitz play in which James Harrison and Lamar Woodley rushed from the same side. Timmons was originally drafted to replace Joey Porter at outside LB.  Harrison and Woodley are big enough and fast enough to play almost anywhere on the front seven.

 

How could any offense be prepared for that foursome—probably the best linebacking corps in football—to be able to rush heedlessly from any position?

 

Mad scientist Dick LeBeau has probably already started drawing up some crazy new blitzes.  I can’t wait to see them. 

 

 

Better field position

 

Punter Daniel Sepulveda is back in action after missing last season with a torn ACL.  Sepulveda is the hardest hitting punter east of the Mississippi and has a leg so strong he can punt the football a quarter mile.

 

Seriously, though, I’m really going to miss the Mitch Berger-Paul Ernster combo value meal. 

 

 

More no-huddle offense.

 

Big Ben has been running the offense for five solid seasons now; I think it’s time to allow him a little more leeway to run the no-huddle.  There have been several instances over the last few seasons where the offense has looked dreadfully sluggish until they went no-huddle.

 

Why not do it more often?  Big Ben can call every play as far as I’m concerned.  The offensive line didn’t exactly remind anyone of the Hogs last seasons; the no-huddle can simplify their blocking schemes and tire out the opposing defenses more quickly.

 

 

More Heath Miller!

 

Along these same lines, I never feel like Heath Miller gets the ball enough.  (This is probably nit-picking, but whatever.)  His catches went up again last season, but he had only had 3 TDs, the lowest total of his career.

 

They began to utilize him more during the playoffs last season, where he averaged almost 4 catches and 51 receiving yards per game, well above his season totals.  Hopefully we will see more of the same in ’09.

 

 

Less deep balls?

 

With the departure of WR Nate Washington, the Steelers have lost perhaps their best deep threat Ben Roethlisberger ever had. 

 

Santonio Holmes has the speed to get deep, but he is at his best on curls and underneath routes.  Hines Ward can catch balls anywhere on the field, but at this point in his career he’s probably not going to be running many fades.  Limas Sweed has the size and speed to be the main deep threat, but he must prove he belongs on the field.

 

If Shaun McDonald can be the next guy to stretch the field, that would be great.  I just think he’s more likely to be the next Cedrick Wilson than the next Troy Edwards.  (Whoops, bad analogy!)

 

In fact, the battle for WR spots in training camp could be fascinating. 

 

I see only three locks to make the team—Ward, Holmes, and Sweed (only because they would never give up on a 2nd-round pick after one year).  In the mix is McDonald, Mike Wallace (a speedy draft pick), Brandon Williams (a castoff from the Rams), Martin Nance (a college teammate of Big Ben), and Dallas Baker (a practice-squad guy).

 

Baker is perhaps the most intriguing; he was a college stud who has never really gotten a chance to perform in the NFL. Wallace is probably a safe bet to make it because he can return kicks and was a relatively high draft pick. Nance is a big body and his history with No. 7 could give him an edge.

 

Whatever happens, don’t look for the Steelers playbook to change all that much. As usual, that’s probably a good thing.

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