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NFL Football Players Draft Injuries Rookies Season SuperbowlPublished: May 27, 2009
When the Detroit Lions begin their summer training camp in Allen Park, Michigan, there will be as many storylines as there are players, with some to spare.
Much of the focus will rest on No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford. Did he do well in camp today? Did he make his throws? Is he developing chemistry with standout wide receiver Calvin Johnson? Does head coach Jim Schwartz think he’ll start in the regular season?
…and so on.
While Stafford’s may be the most glamorous, most talked-about, and arguably most important battle in this year’s training camp, it is far from the only one.
With a team that has seen over half the defense, a good portion of the offense, the majority of the coaching staff, and the head of the front office turned over since the end of the 2008 season, there are no longer any established starters.
There are guys who have been starting for a while, even guys who are pretty good. But when training camp starts, they’ll just be guys on a team that has lost 23 of its last 24 games, with a new coach who wants to start the best players.
In other words, every player in Lions training camp is fighting for a starting job or a roster spot, and many of those battles will pit veteran against veteran, “established” starter against free-agent acquisition.
Of course, “hotshot rookie quarterback vs. veteran great” is on tap as well, just in case you were looking for your weekly dose of football cliché.
Whether cliché or unique to this year’s Lions, here are the six stories to watch in July’s training camp.
Published: May 27, 2009
When shopping for produce people want their food to be fresh. If shopping for wine age is desired. When building a football team it is wise to invest in both the fresh and young, and the old and wise.
As both a team and an organization the Chiefs are on a divergent path this season compared to last. With no pun intended let’s examine both the old and new.
OUT: General Manager Carl Peterson.
In 20 years at the helm of personnel for the Chiefs football organization King Carl built teams that claimed the AFC West title four times. The 1993 team reached the AFC championship game, but otherwise the Chiefs went winless in the playoffs.
IN: Scott Pioli.
Pioli was hired as a pro personnel assistant by eventual two-time AP NFL coach of the year Bill Belichick while Belichick was coaching for the Cleveland Browns. Pioli would follow Belichick to the New York Jets where as Director of Pro Personnel he would carve an identity as a man who built a team identity with veteran free-agent signings as the cornerstones.
He aided the Jets in earning their first division title since 1968. However, it is with the success of the New England Patriots for which Pioli is most acclaimed. Still in tandem with Belichick, the two won three Super Bowls in four years.
OUT: Head Coach Herm Edwards.
One of Pioli’s first actions was to fire Herm Edwards. Edwards’ approach of flooding a starting lineup with an influx of youth is in direct conflict with Pioli’s team-building philosophy.
Edwards twice inherited moderately successful teams, once from Bill Parcells when Herm coached the Jets, and in Kansas City where he took the reins from Dick Vermeil. Both times Edwards squeaked into the playoffs in his early seasons as head coach before the records of each franchise took a nosedive.
The charisma of a Herm Edwards press conference will be missed by fans of Kansas City, but hopefully the woeful records will not be.
IN: Todd Haley
The trade of Tony Gonzalez is a statement that the Chiefs will move the focus of their passing game to the wide receiver position. The hiring of Todd Haley is directly related to this team transition.
Haley had stops with the Jets, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys as a wide receiver coach prior to becoming the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals.
While Haley was only the offensive coordinator of the Cardinals from 2007-2008 and has less than a year of actual play-calling experience the flash of brilliance that the Cardinals had in their Super Bowl run is directly tied to the innovation of Haley.
Common logic will spark fans to assume that the Chiefs offense may resemble the spread offense with which they had success last year. However, with the addition of Matt Cassel at quarterback the team will not be limited to the spread offense and Haley has already stated that the key to offensive success is working with the pieces available.
Using Haley’s mindset it is safe to assume that a number of three-wide receiver formations are likely as the team will call on the continued growth of star receiver Dwayne Bowe to be complimented by last-year’s acquisition, the late-blossoming Mark Bradley, and recent free-agent signing Bobby Engram.
This receiving trio is a combination of old and young that fits the past Pioli mold of success. Engram is a wily veteran who can produce, but whose career is winding down. Bradley is the nomadic veteran who never reached his potential because he never found a true home. Bowe is the talented youngster of the group who while confident doesn’t yet recognize his own potential.
OUT: Defensive Coordinator Gunther Cunningham
“Gun” was the defensive coordinator for some very successful Chiefs’ squads in the nineties and later served two seasons as Chiefs head coach where in both seasons he finished at .500 before he was replaced by Dick Vermeil.
Cunningham boasted such gaudy stats as a +30 turnover ratio in his first stint as defensive coordinator with the Chiefs, but his return was not so glorious. The “bend-but-don’t-break” philosophy led to all-time, NFL-worst 10 sacks over the course of a whole season.
IN: Clancy Pendergast.
Many NFL teams are moving toward the 3-4 defense and with the hiring of Clancy Pendergast as the Chiefs defensive coordinator it became clear the Chiefs are undergoing a similar transformation.
As the Cardinal’s defensive coordinator from 2004-2008 Pendergast was often in the shadow of the high-flying air-attack of the Cardinal’s offense. Yet, with great ingenuity in his play-calling it was the schemes of Pendergast that played a vital role in Arizona reaching Super Bowl XLIII.
The fundamental challenge of incorporating the 3-4 defense is the need for uncommon physical specimens who have both the size to rush the quarterback as a defensive end and the speed and agility to drop into coverage as a linebacker.
This challenge has led to recent gambles on high draft picks by organizations such as the Jets who in 2008 drafted DE/OLB Vernon Gholston with the 6th overall pick. In 2008 Gholston ate up a huge chunk of salary cap space while amassing 16 tackles with 0 sacks.
Now the Washington Redskins face a similar risk in selecting DE/OLB Brian Orakpo. Both Gholston and Orakpo stand roughly 6’3 and weigh in the 260s. Current Chiefs DE Tamba Hali is 6’3 and weighs 275. With his measurements he is the likely candidate for conversion to the two-point stance, which he actually ran out of to great success at Penn State.
Hali will be complimented by a true 3-4 defensive end in this year’s No. 3 overall pick Tyson Jackson. At 6’4 and 296 pounds Jackson is built like a small defensive tackle and has drawn physical comparisons to Richard Seymour, the star defensive end of the New England Patriots acquired under Scott Pioli’s time with the Pats.
So, what to choose; young and fresh or old and wise?
A balance of savvy veterans who have learned to compete in the NFL despite being past their prime and youngsters who are ripe for career years is the key to a successful team.
Veterans feed off of a youthful energy and young players excel from the insight of their older peers.
The most memorable teams are high on character. This does not mean the flashy hairstyles, flamboyant clothes, or the popular choice of becoming a preacher after one’s playing years, but rather possessing the traits of a quality individual who believes in the team concept.
Chief fans are witnessing a great deal of change these days. Only time will tell if it’s change we can believe in.
Published: May 27, 2009
The Pittsburgh Steelers have earned the reputation a team built on the philosophy of running the ball effectively, controlling the clock, and emphasizing an aggressive, blitz-heavy defense.
Last season they made a championship run on the strength of these five plays (four on offense, one on defense) that were consistently effective, although somewhat of a deviation of their aforementioned mantra.
1. Fake Blitz, 1-5-5 Nickel Package
At their own 2-yard line with 18 seconds remaining in the first half of Super Bowl XLIII with a 10-7 lead, the Steelers were in danger of losing the lead going into the half if they couldn’t prevent the Arizona Cardinals from scoring.
Facing a three-receiver set with Kurt Warner in the shotgun and Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin split out to the left, the Steelers countered with a nickel package that featured one lineman (Brett Keisel), five linebackers (James Harrison, Larry Foote, Lamarr Woodley, James Farrior, and Lawrence Timmons) and five defensive backs.
This funky nickel look placed seven defenders in the box with the addition of safety Ryan Clark, giving the heavy indication of a blitz. But with the craftiness of defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, the question was: which players would be blitzing?
The play developed quickly as five of the seven men rushed as expected, but Farrior and Harrison faked the pass rush and dropped back into coverage, Harrison in the flat to Warner’s left and Farrior over the middle.
Warner, seeing the blitz up the middle, but not Harrison off to his left, tried to hit Boldin on a quick slant underneath.
Harrison read Warner, jumped the route, and 100 yards later, scampered into Super Bowl history.
2. Bunch Formation – O Bunch F Peel 62 F Split Em Sink (or a similar variation)
Granted, the Steelers ran a number of plays from this set in their two-minute drill and third down packages, but this particular example was most effective for short-to-medium yardage gains.
Lined up in the Bunch formation (often referred to by Steelers’ radio announcer Bill Hillgrove as the “Banana Bunch”), the “Y” receiver (Hines Ward) lines up on the line of scrimmage to the right of the formation.
Meanwhile, the “F” receiver (Heath Miller) lines up off the line to his left, and the “Z” receiver (Nate Washington) lines up off the line to his right, creating a triangle formation between the three of them.
Santonio Holmes, the “X” receiver, lines up on the line of scrimmage to the left of the formation, with a single running back (often Mewelde Moore) in the backfield behind Ben Roethlisberger.
Before the snap, Miller motions in a “peel”, pinching across the formation, only to stop at Roethlisberger and shuffle back to his original position. After the snap, he runs a seven-yard stop route.
Holmes has the option route, running a skinny post if the cornerback gives him a cushion off the line. Otherwise, he runs a fade route against press coverage, or a 16-yard in route against a Cover-2.
Washington runs a five-yard quick out route toward the sideline, providing an outlet against a strong-side blitz, while Ward runs a six-yard “middle route”: crossing into the middle of the field and sitting down in an open window where Roethlisberger can see him.
Moore’s job is to check the protection to see if a blitzer is coming free from the weak side. If not, he runs a stop route similar to Miller’s to the left.
This play brought about mixed results, with Roethlisberger using each of his receivers on different occasions, but the most common were Ward and Miller, finding holes in the defense’s zone coverage and getting the short yardage necessary to keep the chains moving.
3. Play-Action Pass
The addition of Heath Miller as a first-round draft pick in 2005 gave the Steelers the balanced tight end option they needed, with his ability to stretch the field as a receiver being vital to the passing game.
A heavy emphasis on running the football is bound to eventually leave a defense vulnerable against the pass. The Steelers have developed the ability to sell the run well enough to set up the play-action, allowing Miller to come free over the middle or Santonio Holmes in man-to-man coverage deep down the field.
The success of this play in different formations allowed Roethlisberger and Miller to get the Steelers’ offense rolling early in the Super Bowl, getting them into the red zone before settling for an 18-yard field goal by Jeff Reed.
The opening drive may not have resulted in a touchdown, but the tone was set for how the Steelers would use their versatile attack to put points on the board.
4. Counter 34 Stay
This was an effective running play for the Steelers when executed properly, depending heavily upon the offensive line despite injuries and occasional problems with inconsistency.
Lined up with the strong side to the left, Miller lines up as the tight end next to the left tackle. The fullback (Sean McHugh by the end of the season), lines up to the strong side of the formation, off-set to the left in front of the halfback (Willie Parker).
At the snap, left guard Chris Kemoeatu pulls to the right across the formation, while the right tackle (Willie Colon) and right guard (Darnell Stapleton) create a hole for McHugh, who follows Kemoeatu across.
Parker fakes a move to his left, waiting for McHugh to pass in front of him to take on the inside linebacker (the “Jack” in the 3-4), or the outside linebacker (the “Whip” in the 4-3), and Roethlisberger to come to him deep in the backfield for the hand-off.
Kemoeatu seals off the weak-side linebacker or defensive end, depending on whether they face a 3-4 or 4-3 alignment, while Parker follows McHugh’s lead block into the second level of the defense.
Kemoeatu is the key to this play, with his kick-out block to the weak side giving the play the proper time to develop and give Parker a full head of steam as he approaches the hole.
When executed properly, Parker gets the space to get into the defensive backfield to take on one of the safeties. If he can get enough speed coming through the hole and space to get outside, Parker can get to the corner and get up the field.
This play was effective to help set the tone early in the running game, and helping to wear down opposing defenses late in the game with the lead.
5. Improvisation
There is no set formation, personnel grouping, or designated assignment for what helped the offense get out of a certain loss of yardage time and time again: Ben Roethlisberger’s ability to move around in the pocket and buy time to get his receivers the ball.
It was hard sometimes to understand what was more difficult for the Steelers’ offensive line: blocking in their designated protection schemes, or giving Big Ben time to move around long after the initial rush time to find an open receiver.
Critics say that Roethlisberger often gets himself into trouble more often than out of it by holding onto the ball and looking to make a play downfield, but it paid off in critical situations that helped them win a championship.
Roethlisberger’s movement in the pocket helped set up an unconventional 65-yard touchdown pass to Holmes in the AFC Championship against the Baltimore Ravens, and then another for the Super Bowl game-winner.
Some called it luck; some called it “playground football”. Roethlisberger said the Steelers called it, “scramble, left, scramble right until somebody gets open.”
Regardless of what it was called, what’s important is what what the Steelers were called afterward: World Champions.
Published: May 27, 2009
First off Calvin, I would like to thank you for taking time out of your schedule to sit down and take part in this interview with me.
Many believe you are one of the top receivers in the NFL. Where do you think you stand?
What changes have you noticed under new head coach Jim Schwartz?
What are your expectations for the 2009 Lions?
Calvin you had a great 2008 season, how do you prepare to follow up such a great season?
Obviously the Lions had a tough 2008 season, how do the Lions as a team put that behind them?
What position do you believe is the most important when building a team?
How do you feel about the off-season acquisitions and the NFL Draft?
Who is your favorite Lions player of all time?
Once again I would like to thank you Calvin for this interview and I wish you and the Detroit Lions the best of luck moving forward.
Published: May 27, 2009
The NFC North has been up for grabs over the last few years. Is there a clear front runner this season to win the NFC North? Let’s take a look.
Minnesota Vikings
A team that won the NFC North last year with a record of 10-6, finishing the season with a 4-2 record in the division. The Vikings had a playoff birth but lost in the first round to the Philadelphia Eagles.
I believe the Vikings are a very strong team and are only a few pieces away from being a super bowl team. The most notable missing piece is, of course, quarterback.
With Brett Favre rumors swirling, the Vikings are prepared to enter the season with Tavaris Jackon and Sage Rosenfels competing for the starting job if No. 4 opts to stay retired.
It is unclear at this point whether or not Favre will sign with Minnesota, but if he does sign, the Vikings will become the immediate favorites to win the NFC North.
Chicago Bears
Last year’s NFC North runners-up have had probably the biggest offseason of all the division’s teams, with the acquisition of QB Jay Cutler.
The Bears finished with a divisional record 4-2 and an overall record of 9-7.
The Bears defense is getting older but should still be very effective for this upcoming season. The defense will do what they do best and force turnovers to give the offense more possessions during the game.
The Bears offense will be the question mark this season. The running game should be there with Matt Forte but can the receivers make enough plays to move the chains?
They have the other essential pieces on offense, but they will be depending on their receiving corps to catch the balls from their newly acquired QB.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers finished with a divisional record of 4-2 and an overall record of 6-10. The Packers are switching to a 3-4 defense this year and it may take some time for them to make it work.
They don’t have all of the required personnel for the defense and still have some question marks on that side of the ball. The defensive backs are getting older and the line is going to be anchored by first round pick BJ Raji.
I believe Raji will be a solid player but it takes defensive tackles time to translate into the NFL (See Glenn Dorsey).
Aaron Rodgers should have better control over the offense that struggled at times last year, but questions still remain at running back. Is Ryan Grant the every down back the Packers thought he was when they gave him an extension before last season?
Detroit Lions
The Lions became the worst NFL team in history in 2008 by going 0-16. They have brought a new coach into town in Jim Schwartz and are looking to turn things around.
Detroit’s defense broke its own record and became the worst defense in history in terms of points allowed in 2008. Can the Lions’ defense rebound and get off the field on third downs?
The Lions offense has some bright spots in Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith. Adding Matthew Stafford and Brandon Pettigrew in the draft will be helpful next season but question marks still remain on offense as well.
Can Culpepper play like he did in 2004 with Scott Linehan?
Will Matt Stafford get on the field in 2009?
The Lions are moving out of the Matt Millen era and into something new but it might not turn around as quickly as they may hope.
Summary
When I look at this division as a whole I really don’t see a clear cut front runner.
The Vikings made the playoffs last year but had inconsistent quarterback play. Can they add veteran Brett Favre? Can Jackson or Rosenfels step in and be a quality starter if Favre doesn’t sign?
For the Vikings to win the division it will take strong quarterback play and a healthy Adrian Peterson.
The Bears made the Superbowl a few years back with a below average quarterback and great defensive play. Can they make it now with good defense and Jay Cutler?
For the Bears to win the division, it will take good defensive play from an older defense and young receivers stepping up on offense to support Jay Cutler and the running game of Matt Forte.
The Packers’ biggest problem in 2008 was inconsistency. Their defense lost several games in the fourth quarter. Can BJ Raji step in and anchor that new 3-4 defense? Can the Packers make an easy transition to the 3-4 defense?
If the Packers plan to win the division, it will take strong defensive line play and a great understanding of their new defensive scheme. Ryan Grant will have to have a big year and keep the offense balanced so defenses are off guard all the time.
The 2008 Lions were lacking talent and coaching. With a new coach in town and several new starters on both sides of the ball several question marks still remain. Can the defense get off the field this year? Can the young defensive lineman step up?
For the Lions to make a quick turnaround and compete for the NFC North, it will take great defensive line play from their young defensive lineman. Kevin Smith will have to have a big year and establish himself as a running threat in each game to help control the tempo and take the pressure off the quarterback.
Published: May 27, 2009
One of the biggest position battles that will take place over the course of the eight remaining mini camps (seven OTA’a and the big one in July) will be the battle for the starting center job.
We all know that Walter Jones is the starting LT. We all know Sean Locklear is going to be the starting RT and by all accounts it looks like Rob Sims will be the starting RG. That leaves LG and C.
Mike Wahle, who was signed last offseason is in an interesting position. Coming off shoulder surgery he’s not a sure lock to be the starting LG.
The Seahawks drafted G/C Max Unger in the second round of the 2009 draft.
This is where it gets interesting. Spencer and Unger have a 50-50 shot at winning the starting center job, mainly because Spencer was gone last season and Unger is new.
So there are two scenarios:
1) If Unger wins the job, Spencer would most likely be a backup or traded considering it’s his contract year they won’t keep him. That would leave Wahle as the starting LG.
2) If for some reason Spencer wins the starting center job, Unger could easily beat out Wahle for the starting LG job. However, Wahle would stay around to teach Unger the ropes.
So this is one main position battle to watch. It will definetly be competitive.
Published: May 27, 2009
Sid Gillman started the franchise off with a bang.
After Gillman, Don Coryell couldn’t do it, despite the vaunted aerial attack. Bobby Ross got close, but was eventually denied. Marty Schottenheimer stayed true to his poor postseason reputation.
And now, Norv Turner has stepped in.
The San Diego Chargers trophy case remains the same. No Lombardi trophy.
This year, Turner will go into his third year as San Diego head coach, the first coach to win a playoff game for the Chargers since 1994.
Inheriting a team rich in talent, Turner’s teams have been a fixture in the postseason but have failed to fulfill the objective.
Despite rising through the ranks as a gifted, Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator in Dallas, and mounting a somewhat successful tenure as head coach in Washington, Turner himself is dragging a reputation of his own.
A lack of success in Oakland furthered the suspicion that Turner is better suited as a coordinator and not a coach. Under the light that casts doubt unto his head coaching abilities, Turner certainly has a leg to stand on if he wishes to make excuses for his time in San Diego.
In the 2007-08 season, his star running back, quarterback and All-Pro tight end suffered injuries in the playoffs. Still, the team soldiered on without them, having the misfortune of facing a 17-0 team in the conference championship.
The next year, injuries claimed his star linebacker, hampered his best cornerback and nagged the running back again, eventually knocking him out of action—once more—in the playoffs while the defense held on by its teeth.
The defense, led by coordinator Ron Rivera, stabilized after the former Bears coordinator took over for Ted Cottrell at mid-season.
An aggressive playcaller who favors attacking defenses that force mistakes, Rivera will recoup LB Shawne Merriman for the 2009 season and add Northern Illinois product LB/DE Larry English into a mix that promises to harass several quarterbacks around the league.
Linebackers coach John Pagano and defensive line coach Don Johnson (who rejoins Rivera after time in Chicago) will assist Rivera.
Versatility will be the name of the game for Rivera’s defense; despite coming to San Diego initially (as Cottrell’s inside linebacker coach) to learn about the 3-4 scheme, Rivera rose through the ranks studying under the 4-3, Tampa 2 and 46 formations in Chicago.
His success eventually helped Chicago to reach Super Bowl XLI. In his first full season as San Diego’s defensive signal caller, he will have the option to rotate players and try different formations to suit his needs, in an effort to provide a complement to the Chargers’ explosive offense.
That offense is handled by Turner, who initially installed the team’s offensive scheme in 2001 as offensive coordinator, and Clarence Shelmon, a long time running backs coach who trained San Diego’s unit among others.
Although Shelmon holds the official title, the team states that Turner himself calls the plays. Shelmon provides the balance for Turner’s explosive passing approach by consulting on running plays.
Prior to shepherding LaDainian Tomlinson, Shelmon worked in Dallas with one of LT’s idols in Emmitt Smith. His time in Seattle saw Chris Warren become a thousand yard rusher.
Former Cleveland offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski will work with Antonio Gates and the tight ends, while Hall of Famer Charlie Joiner helped turn Vincent Jackson into a premier wide receiver last season.
Finally, manning the special teams is Steve Crosby. Crosby has helped mold WR Kassim Osgood into a specialist who has made the Pro Bowl. His star punter, Mike Scifres, is only overshadowed by Oakland’s Shane Lechler.
K Nate Kaeding has also made the Pro Bowl, as has LS David Binn.
A savvy coach who has also served as a linebackers coach, offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator during his career, Crosby also has Super Bowl experience, going to the big game with Miami after the 1983 season.
The invaluable championship experience that Turner, Rivera and Crosby—the team’s three coaching staff leaders—can bring to their players will no doubt factor in to the equation that could end with San Diego making the Super Bowl after the 2009 season.
This positive experience that is transmitted to the players has already affected the team, which has won despite the obstacles of luck, injury and historical opposition under these three coaches.
Sid Gillman started the franchise off with a bang. Can this year’s staff answer with a boom?
Published: May 27, 2009
Charlie Batch is an ex-Lions quarterback, but not paying any alimony, despite his divorce.
In fact, Batch wears two Super Bowl rings, collected as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Life as a Lions “ex” often ends up being pretty good, after all.
Batch was gutting it out, leaving it all on the field in Detroit, gamely trying to lead a talent-challenged team to prosperity, when Matt Millen bounded into town as the Lions’ new president.
Then, in the time it took Millen to utter a gauche comment, Charlie Batch knew his days were numbered as a Lion.
“We’re married to Charlie Batch,” Millen said, speaking of the Lions’ quarterbacking situation shortly after being introduced as team president in January 2001.
It wasn’t meant as a compliment.
Millen may as well have substituted the word married with “saddled.”
Batch, despite that clumsy description of the state of his career from Millen, nonetheless went out in 2001 and worked his tail off, as he always had as a Lion.
“We’re married to Charlie Batch.”
That sentence clung to Batch, and to the Lions, like a school of zebra mussels.
And neither Batch nor the Lions could wash off the stench.
So when Millen drafted quarterback Joey Harrington out of Oregon in 2002, it didn’t take a clairvoyant to figure out how the “marriage” between Batch and the Lions was going to turn out.
Irreconcilable differences.
Harrington arrived in Lions Land, a smile on his face and with the reputation as an eternal optimist. He was a piano-playing quarterback in a guitar-playing town. A wine drinker among the shot-and-beer clientele.
Before long, Joey was starting, for a poor team with little pass protection and too few decent receivers.
Another match made in hell.
Harrington was routed out of town following the 2005 season after four turbulent seasons of marriage to the Lions.
In fact, Joey pretty much initiated divorce proceedings when he failed to show up to Mike Martz’s quarterback school in March ’06.
Millen consented, and Harrington took his piano to Miami.
Jon Kitna was then wed after a whirlwind courtship.
Matt Millen had become the Mickey Rooney and Liz Taylor of quarterback marriages.
Let’s hope the Lions have learned a little from the Harrington failure.
There’s a low rumble starting that I’m afraid is only going to get louder and more difficult to ignore as time goes by this summer.
Matthew Stafford, the Lions’ bonus-baby quarterback from Georgia, has his supporters, which is great.
But those supporters are taking their zeal too far.
They want Stafford to be the starting quarterback when the Lions tee it up for real on Sept. 13, Week One of the regular season.
What is it they say about those who forget the past?
If the Lions have even the tiniest peas for brains, they should at least be smart enough to know that Stafford shouldn’t so much as warm up during any game this season.
He and his money should remain on the sidelines, from the first week in September till the last week in December.
His jersey should be put on and removed week after week, never seeing a washing machine in between.
The Lions baseball cap should adorn his head at all times.
The clipboard should be firmly in hand.
Starting Stafford would be one of the biggest mistakes the Lions have ever made, and they’ve made some doozies.
Harrington wasn’t ready to start in 2002, and it may have ruined him forever. Certainly it set the franchise back several years, when they were already decades in arrears.
Stafford needs to sit. And watch. And learn.
But most important, he needs to wait.
Not on himself. On his team—to get better.
Stafford would arguably be working with an even worse offensive line than the one that feebly blocked for Harrington in 2002.
You start him now, you turn him into David Carr—flat on his back 60-70 times from sacking, and his confidence eroded.
Is that how you develop and nurture a franchise quarterback?
Of course, Harrington never had anyone nearly as good as Calvin Johnson catching his passes—when they were ever near enough to be caught.
That’s all right. Let Stafford throw to Calvin all he wants—in practice. Just not during a real game.
The Stafford-to-Johnson pipeline might be the most exciting thing to happen to Detroit football since the jitterbug Barry Sanders dazzled us.
But it’s not ready to be unleashed this season. Not even close.
Stafford, by all accounts, has an impressive football IQ and a seemingly good grasp of what being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft means.
That’s great. But you still don’t start him.
For one, the Lions have Daunte Culpepper, and that’s not chopped liver.
Culpepper has dropped weight, is working hard, and is embracing his role as leader. He’s still only 32 years old.
Remember David Krieg? Or Steve DeBerg? Guys who called signals competently at advanced ages?
Oh, you wanna talk active players?
Then what about Kurt Warner?
Culpepper may be several years away from his second retirement. There might be a lot of good football left in his tank.
So it’s not like the Lions have Tweedledee or Tweedledum listed first on the depth chart at quarterback.
But they will if they move Culpepper down a notch and replace him with the rich rookie.
This is no time for haste.
You’re coming off an 0-16 season. And you’d put a rookie in charge of those bums?
Stafford, if all goes to plan, could be the best thing to hit the Lions in over 50 years.
If you treat him right.
Everyone—Culpepper, the Lions, Stafford, coach Jim Schwartz—is best served if the kid spends 2009 on the bench waiting for even more reinforcements to arrive courtesy of the 2010 draft.
It gives Daunte a year to prove to the NFL that he’s still serviceable—in Detroit or elsewhere.
It gives the Lions a veteran QB to lead them through a new coach’s first year, coming on the heels of 0-16.
It gives Stafford a year to learn and saves him from a sack fest.
It gives Schwartz a smoother year of transition than if Stafford were the starter.
By my count, that’s a win/win/win/win situation—twice the usual amount.
And a much better chance of a long, healthy marriage between quarterback and team.
Published: May 27, 2009
It took only one game in 2008 to realize that new Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s playbook would not be the same as the “Two Yards and a Cloud of Jamal” offense run by former coach Brian Billick.
Against the Cincinnati Bengals in the home opener, Cameron unleashed a creative scheme, mixing unbalanced lines and trick plays with a power running game. Cameron’s first game featured more tricks than Billick and his offensive assistants had called in 10 years.
That creative playbook, combined with the strong passing arm and cool presence of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, helped the Ravens get within one win of the Super Bowl. The question now becomes, what do Cameron and Flacco do for an encore?
The biggest change to the playbook this year is quite simple: Flacco now has a year’s experience under his belt. The experience of starting the whole season last year, plus the extended playoff run, on the road no less, cannot be overstated.
The kid has now seen what the NFL’s best defensive coordinators will throw at him. Cameron can officially take the training wheels off and diversify this offense.
A year ago, the Ravens created most of their big plays off tricks. The team frequently ran from an unbalanced line with three tackles on one side and showed an almost limitless supply of gadgets: reverse passes, option plays, flea-flickers. The team even had its own version of the “wildcat” formation—the “Suggs package”—which featured two quarterbacks.
The goal in 2009 should be to create more big plays through conventional tactics and supplement that with the gimmickry.
Personnel-wise, the Ravens seem to be moving more in the direction of Cameron’s offenses in San Diego. With Le’Ron McClain moving back to fullback and Lorenzo Neal gone, expect to see less of the jumbo, Jerome Bettis-style running game and more of a LaDainian Tomlinson running/receiving combo.
That would seem to favor second-year man Ray Rice’s style, or even sixth-round pick Cedric Peerman, more than incumbent Willis McGahee, who’s a between-the-tackles slasher.
But since McGahee has a year left on a big contract, he’ll likely see most of the reps. Don’t be surprised to see Rice have a much bigger role though. He was very impressive last season before a late-season injury took him out of the lineup for four weeks.
The Ravens are hoping Flacco can improve his intermediate throws over the middle, something he struggled with at times last season.
If that happens, the Ravens can add another dimension to their attack thanks to two very good receiving tight ends: Todd Heap and L.J. Smith. Of course, getting Heap and Smith to stay on the field for 16 games is a whole other problem given their injury histories.
Heap is coming off a miserable season in 2008, one in which he was injured frequently and did not develop much chemistry with Flacco. In Heap’s defense, the Ravens had to keep him in to block an awful lot last season due to the need to max protect for Flacco. The team is hoping an improved offensive line can get Heap out into the pattern more.
Speaking of that offensive line, if it is as improved as the team thinks it is, it should help open up the playbook even more. Simply put, if Cameron does not have to max protect as much, the Ravens can send more receivers into the pattern, thereby opening up the passing game.
Cynics may have scratched their heads at General Manager Ozzie Newsome drafting Mississippi tackle Michael Oher over a wide receiver but practically, it was the smart play.
You can never have enough good linemen and in a division where you have to play James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley twice a year, you really can’t have enough good tackles. Oher also fits the bill of the quintessential Ravens prospect: a guy with a lot of talent motivated by falling in the draft.
With the additions of Oher, along with center Matt Birk and the return of guard Marshal Yanda, the Ravens line looks solid. The Ravens missed Yanda’s nastiness in the last two games against Pittsburgh. Just being able to keep Flacco vertical, he was sacked 32 times last year, will allow this offense to continue to improve.
Last season, the Ravens took the first step into remaking their image from “all defense/no offense” to a more balanced team. How Cameron and Flacco take the team to step two will be one of the main story lines for the club this year.
Published: May 27, 2009
New season. New players. New coaches…AGAIN.
Jimmy Raye II brings a wealth of experience and knowledge into the San Francisco 49ers locker room.
The question remains, “Is he a gem pulled from the heap of more-hyped coaches? Or does his experience turn him into Al Davis, the cross-bay crock of a GM for the Oakland Raiders?”
First a bit of a background that got the 49ers into this mess.
In a truly desperate move by a desperate man, “Mad” Mike Martz was hired as offensive coordinator in 2008 by then-head coach Mike Nolan.
Maybe Martz really was mad…at least for accepting the job.
Known as a coach who fits square players into round holes, it seems the selection of Martz was more for ticket sales than for championships.
Martz’ offense, while great at times, was limited when Mike Singletary took over for Mike Nolan midseason (everyone remembers the goal line dive against the Cardinals).
Smash-mouth football became the new offense, and Martz simply did not fit that bill.
After the season, he was unceremoniously let go.
Fast forward to January of this year.
Raye becomes the newest offensive coordinator for the position. According to Matt Barrows of the Sac Bee, he was in the running for the position immediately after the season, despite reports he was a last minute candidate.
With this hire, San Francisco 49er fans everywhere gave a collective sigh while simultaneously debating whether Mike Singletary had lost his mind. Raye, former coordinator of the Chiefs, Raiders, and Redskins, seemed like a scrape-the-bottom-of-the-barrel selection.
But, fear not 49ers fans.
You have much to hope for.
With the Chiefs, Raye turned Tony Gonzalez into the perennial Pro Bowler you see today.
There may be hope for Vernon Davis yet.
As for running backs, Raye’s stable has included such remarkable names as Tony Richardson, Amos Zereoue, and Donnell Bennett. I know those were some marquee running backs, but Frank Gore they are not.
One notable runner was Stephen Davis in 2001, when he amassed 1,432 yards with Raye as play caller. Gore should easily pass 1,400 yards this season, given the Mike Singletary Enhancement Effect (from here on, it will be known as the MSEE) he seems to have on players.
As for receivers, his best stable of receivers came with the Chiefs in 2000. Aside from Tony Gonzalez, Derrick Anderson and Sylvester Morris were the primary targets. Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan, and Michael Crabtree already wets the pallet more than the drier-than-an-Alabama-summer combo of Anderson and Morris.
Have hope, Niner Nation!
When talent was available, Raye has made the most of it. He also never had a head coach quite like Mike Singletary.
Consider his effect the same as Mike D’Antoni’s in the NBA: stats become padded and players develop their games. The “Raye”s will be shining down in the Bay Area, players will be better than before, and the 49ers will return to their rightful spot atop the NFC West.
Call it a Hunch.