Just Winning Might Not Be Enough For Buffalo Bills’ Head Coach Dick Jauron

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. –- “Just win baby” isn’t just the mantra of the Oakland Raiders’ Al Davis anymore.

 

For Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron, the time is now. Winning isn’t just everything, it’s the only thing—no, make that the only thing likely keep the embattled Bills coach and his staff in place through the 2009 season.

 

He’d better win—baby—in 2009 and maybe even beyond.

 

“I guarantee Mr. (Bills longtime owner and president Ralph C.) Wilson is not going to settle for anything but making the playoffs this year,” said former Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly to Randy Cross recently on Sirius Satellite Radio.

 

“The pressure’s on,” said Kelly, who is also reportedly heading a group interested in eventually purchasing the franchise from the 90-year-old Wilson or his estate.

 

“The pressure’s on Dick. The pressure’s on Turk Schonert, the offensive coordinator. They got the people that they needed,” he said. “So they have no excuses and it’s time to show up or just pack your bags and there’s going to be a lot of changes.”

 

After last year’s deflating 7-9 campaign, Bills’ general manager Russ Brandon said the team’s talent level needed to be addressed.

 

So they bolstered the offense with the free agent acquisition of Terrell Owens, giving third year starting quarterback Trent Edwards another weapon on offense while drafting linemen Eric Moore and Andy Levitre along with tight end Shawn Nelson.

 

They addressed pass-rushing needs with first round pick Aaron Maybin. They picked up Dominic Rhodes in the free-agent bargain bin and signed Fred Jackson to a long term deal. Both are expected to fill-in until Marshawn Lynch returns from his suspension.

 

All of which puts the focus clearly on the coaching staff—and there are plenty of questions. 

 

Jauron knows he’d better win after the reprieve given to him after a third-straight 7-9 season. The Bills rushed out to a 5-1 start but stumbled—going 0-6 in the tough AFC East.

 

It was after that 5-1 start that Wilson reportedly gave Jauron, who was brought on board in 2006 by then-general manager Marv Levy, a three-year contract extension through 2011. The last Bills coach to get such an extension from the Bills owner was, well – Levy.

 

But the team hit the skids, losing of eight of its final 10 games. Many were ugly losses fraught with questionable play calling, confusion on the sidelines and miscommunication between players on the field and the coaching staff. 

 

There was confusion throughout a Monday night loss to the Browns at home. There was indecision on a play call—not knowing whether to run or pass—on a fourth and goal from the seven at home against the 49ers.

 

There was the inability to get the field goal team on the field in time as the first half wound down against the Patriots in December.

 

It all seemed to culminate with the painful Dec.14 loss to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands.

 

The Bills had the ball with a second-and-4 with 2:06 left and the Bills up 27-24. Instead of a run, Jauron and Schonert called for quarterback J.P. Losman—starting in place of the injured Edwards—to execute a roll-out pass intended to fullback Corey McIntyre (who had exactly zero receptions for the season at that point).

 

Losman, whose ball-security skills have always been an issue, scrambled and was stripped of the ball from behind. Jets’ DE Shaun Ellis gratefully scooped-up the early Christmas gift and rumbled for the winning touchdown.

 

“That goes right on me,” Jauron said after that game, perhaps taking the hit for his equally embattled coordinator.

 

Jauron, 58, has been called uninspiring by his detractors, indecisive by others.

 

He has a 57-76 lifetime career record (.429 pct) as an NFL head coach. He has one division title to his credit—his 2001 Chicago Bears won the NFC Central with a 13-3 record. He was named Coach of the Year that season.

 

But aside from ‘01, Jauron has never won more than seven games (his 2003 Bears also went 7-9, after which he was fired) in one season. 

 

His teams have never finished higher than 23rd in the NFL in scoring except once—that 2001 Bears team which also had the No. 1 ranked defense in points allowed—finished 11th in scoring.

 

In fact, aside from his first year with the Bears in 1999, only once have Jauron’s teams cracked the top 25 in average yards-per-game (2000 Bears, 23rd with 283.8 yards).

 

Meanwhile last year’s Bills produced the highest average rushing-yards-per-game for a Jauron-coached team—14th in the NFL with a 115.1 yards-per-game average

 

Jauron’s teams are 28-36 all-time in the second-half of regular seasons. His Bills are 9-15 in the season’s second half and 5-9 during the always critical (in Buffalo, at least) month of December.

 

In fact, during the Jauron era, the Bills have been outscored 265-254 in December. Last year, the Bills were out-gained by their opponents 811 yards to 501 through the air, 629 to 519 yards on the ground and outscored 85-60 during a 1-3 December.

 

And why is that so critical?

 

Because down the stretch each of the last two seasons, with the Bills at least on the outskirts landing a playoff berth, they’ve delivered clunkers—notably the 2007 Cleveland game in the snow (lost 8-0) where they simply failed to compete; the Miami game at the Rogers Centre in Toronto (lost 16-3) and the season finale against the Patriots (lost 13-0). In each game, the Bills barely registered a pulse. Hardly inspiring.

 

Yet, when it was announced that Jauron would return, the players went on record as being relieved while most of western New York groaned.

 

“I think I can speak on behalf of our entire team that that’s what we wanted to see happen,” defensive end Chris Kelsay told the Associated Press. “To see the team move forward without him, I think would’ve been a terrible thing, really.”

 

And so it will move on with Jauron, with Perry Fewell as defensive coordinator preaching the gospel of the “Tampa 2” scheme. The unit allowed almost 600 fewer yards in 2008 than the previous year and held opponents to 16 points-or-less in seven games.

 

The league’s 14th-ranked defense, though, was also light and vulnerable. It ranked 22nd in rush defense (121.6 average yards-per-game surrendered), 28th in sacks (24) and  27th in Takeaway/Giveaway Differential with a -8 (-0.5/game).

 

Fewell’s major charge will be to reintegrate DE Aaron Schoebel into the mix.

 

Schoebel was put on injured reserve last Dec. 11 after aggravating a toe injury early in the season which reduced his effectiveness, essentially rendering him to spot duty, and allowing opponents to double-team nose tackle Marcus Stroud. He also must get more out of Kelsay and Ryan Denney and a mediocre corps of linebackers.

 

Schonert will also have his hands full – not just with spreading the ball among Owens, Lee Evans, Josh Reed, Stephen Johnson and (assuming he’s still a Bill) Roscoe Parrish or reconstructing a running game without Lynch, but also streamlining the play-calling process from the booth to the sideline to Edwards. It’s still up-in-the-air about that happening, but it’ll be interesting—if sometimes painful—to watch.

 

Once again, Bobby April will work wonders and have one of the league’s top special teams units. Leodis McKelvin averaged 28.2 yards-per-kickoff and Parrish 15.3 yards-per-punt-on the league’s seventh-ranked return unit with each player taking one return to the house.  

 

Lockport N.Y.native Sean Kugler will be under the microscope as offensive line coach.

 

All Kugler has the task of is converting last year’s starting right tackle Langston Walker into this year’s starting left tackle; turning guard Brad Butler back into Walker’s old spot on the right side; mold rookies Moore and Levitre into capable NFL starting guards and to have that unit keep Edwards upright and healthy through 16 regular season games – that’s all.

 

One of the most intriguing jobs in OTAs and once training camp opens belongs to tight ends coach Charlie Coiner.  The tight end has been MIA in the Bills attack in recent years and Coiner must work fourth-round pick Nelson (6-foot-4, 250 pounds from Southern Miss.) in with returning vets Derek Schouman and Derek Fine.

 

And though not officially part of the coaching staff, Bills VP of college scouting Tom Modrak could be on the bubble depending how the season plays out. Modrak and pro personnel director John Guy both date back to the Tom Donahoe regime, and this draft was Modrak’s eighth.

 

If the Bills fortunes don’t improve, he could be one of those swept away in Kelly’s foretold-of housecleaning.   

 

Looking Back to the Future at the Big Moves of The Belichick-Kraft Era

There have been some great (dynamic?) duos in our time.

Batman and Robin. Cheech and Chong. Farley and Spade. Seth Rogen and Marijuana. Megan Fox and a warm day.

Even in football there have been quite a few in the past couple decades.

Montana and Rice. Peyton and Marvin. Owens and, well, himself.

But there may not have been a more prolific coupling of wills than Belichick and Kraft over the past decade.

Three Super Bowls, four AFC titles, records set in defense, records set in scoring.

It’s been a hell of a ride for them. Mike Reiss of Boston.com has a great article looking back over their time together and why they’ve been so successful.

It’s a fascinating read looking into the personalities of the two men who built a dynasty, nearly lost it to controversy, and came back stronger than ever.

But the key point to take away is how simple they make it sound.

It’s about an attitude; a philosophy of thinking long term, maintaining flexibility (both financially and in terms of adaptability on and off the field), and trusting your instincts and colleagues.

Sounds easy, right?

Well, when you look over the decisions they’ve made together over the years, it’s clear it’s one thing thing to say you believe those things and another to actually back it up–especially when it comes time to say goodbye to some of your most beloved and productive players.

With that, let’s look at some of the bigger moves the Belichick/Kraft duo has made in New England.

Most seemed questionable at the time and certainly kept WEEI in business with angry callers, but can you argue with results?

Let’s look, and see what it means for some soon-to-be free agents in New England.

1. The Trading Block: Deion Branch and Tebucky Jones

In 2003 the Patriots had one of the young, athletic studs at Safety in Tebucky Jones. A first-round pick by the Patriots in 1998, Jones’ contract was up following the 2002 season.

To protect his rights, the Patriots dropped the franchise tag hammer on him, a designation that would’ve cost them $3 million that year and left him a free agent the following year.

But with the league’s highest-paid safety and team captain Lawyer Milloy already on the books, the Patriots found themselves with a whole lot of safety and not enough cap room.

So the Patriots did what other teams might have not done: franchised and then flipped their 29-year old starting safety, who helped them win Super Bowl XXXVI, for three draft picks.

As it turns out, that wasn’t the only bold move the Patriots made at safety that Summer. More on that in a bit.

—

Three years later, though, the Patriots found themselves on the other side of the coin.

But New England refused to, once again, commit too much money to a position (and a player) they felt wouldn’t earn it in Deion Branch.

In 2006, Branch was offered a contract extension by the Patriots, a four year deal that would’ve paid him his salaries of approximately $1 million, $1.5 million, $4.3 million, and $4.79 million from 2006-2009.

It’s the type of backloaded contract that you give to guys who haven’t quite proved their worth who you can cut with little cap repercussions after a year or two if they don’t improve.

In short, Branch felt it was a bit of an insult to offer a Super Bowl MVP.

For a guy who was two yards short of 1,000 in his best season, Branch was aiming high, though, asking for the type of contract that Reggie Wayne got with the Colts (6 year at $40 million), a deal he was never really going to earn, even as the number one receiver on a team with Tom Brady.

So Branch started his awkward, protracted holdout that extended deep into August.

With seemingly everyone, Tom Brady included, pleading with the Patriots to just sign Branch so they could have some hope of making it back, the front office and Belichick held fast.

The Patriots bucked what seemed like fair logic and the wishes of their superstar quarterback and traded Branch to Seattle, where he has (mostly due to injuries) had just 1798 yards and 12 TDs in three years.

Bold moves that, in retrospect, paid off.

2. Marching Orders: Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy

In 2003, fresh off of the sign-and-trade salary dump of Tebucky Jones, the Patriots were looking to dump more by getting Lawyer Milloy—the three-year team captain and probably the most popular player on New England’s defense—to renegotiate his league-high salary.

Milloy agreed, in principle, but the Patriots and Milloy were never really close on a figure heading into the season.

So Belichick and the Patriots made the kind of move that most teams balk on but never actually deliver: they cut Milloy five days before the start of the season.

They had tried to renegotiate with the 29-year-old Milloy since April of that year, but seeing themselves at an impasse and having signed Rodney Harrison, they up and cut the team captain.

As I recall, this move generated as much heat for the Patriots in New England as Spygate did in the rest of the country.

There was a collective “They did WHAT?!” echoing up and down 495 that day, along with a few other four-letter words.

In the locker room the move was questioned, as well. Per ESPN NFL writer John Clayton’s report at the time:

“Has it ever been this quiet in here? I don’t think it has,” linebacker Tedy Bruschi, Milloy’s rookie roommate in 1996, said. “I think ‘shocked’ is the word. … You sort of just shake your head and ask yourself, ‘Why?’ “

“It is scary in the timing,” cornerback Ty Law said. “There’s such a thing as good business and bad business. I don’t know what category this one falls under. But to my eyes, and being selfish, at this late in the game and in regard to him and his family, I’m quite sure this is something that could have been done a long time ago.”

If you’re familiar with the club and the usual party line that players only ever give the media, this is about as close as a “The coach and office are out of their flipping minds” comment you’ll ever see from Patriots players.

It only got worse for Belichick and co. when, five days later, the Buffalo Bills trounced them 31-0 upstate with a spirited performance by their brand new starting safety: Lawyer Milloy.

So what did the Patriots get after dumping their two starting safeties? In moves panned as pure salary dumps by a team content to just win one Super Bowl and slide back to mediocrity rather than pay the guys that got them there?

They ended 2003 with the league’s best scoring defense, allowing a league-low 238 points, winning 14 games and walked all over Buffalo in week 17 by the familiar score of 31-0.

Oh, and they won a Super Bowl, too.

—

In the Spring of 2005, Ty Law was 30, coming off an injury-shortened season where he had just one interception in seven games.

Yet he was viewed as a valuable asset that, on the backside of his career, could still be useful in most sets as one of the best big-play cornerbacks in the league.

Unfortunately for Law, that asset wasn’t worth $12 million, his ludicrous cap number for the 2005 season.

Law signed the contract originally as part of a seven-year extension in 1999.

Plenty of contracts in the NFL have these sort of insane salary years stapled on the end so teams can go to the media and say “look here, we’ve signed him to a 9-year, $86 million contract!” when they’ve really signed the guy for, at most, three years at $5 million a year and then they’ll just cut him before the big years kick in.

But Law’s cap number should’ve never been allowed to escalate that high and it’s not known how much of an effort the Patriots made to renegotiate, releasing him in mid-February.

As a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the league’s best cornerbacks, even at 30, he would’ve commanded close to $7 million a year for, likely, four or more years—an amount the Patriots weren’t willing to pay.

He signed with the Jets and managed a career-high 10 interceptions and a fourth Pro Bowl selection the following year.

As Belichick said about the release of Milloy and could’ve repeated about this move, Law was simply a “victim of the system.”

The Law move really could’ve gone either way. I don’t think anybody thought he couldn’t do the job anymore, but the question was what kind of contract he would demand. 

They were simply never going to eat nearly 15 percent of their total salary cap (the cap number for that season was $85.5 million total) on one player who didn’t have “Brady” on the back of his jersey.

Cutting him was inevitable without a renegotiation, which they were unable or unwilling to do.

In the end, the Jets were just willing to commit a lot more money to Law than the Patriots.

3. Free Agents Are Anything But Free: Willie McGinest and Asante Samuel

Willie McGinest was one of those moves that I don’t think opened a ton of eyes when it happened.

He was a free agent and I think most people thought that, at 34 and the career sack leader in the postseason, he’d simply retire a Patriot.

But looking back at it (not trying to make a controversy out of nothing, as there was some noise when he signed with Cleveland) the Patriots maybe should’ve looked at him a little closer.

Despite being 34, he was clearly a good Irish boy who had been one of the most versatile pass rushers in league history, playing at both ends and both outside linebacker spots in his 12-year career with New England.

He was still an effective pass rusher, racking up another six sacks in 2005 with 44 tackles, in line with his career averages.

He eventually signed with Cleveland, putting off retirement for a few years to play for his old coach Romeo Crennel. Even with little help in Cleveland’s defense, among the league’s worst, he managed another four sacks in 2006 before falling off in the years following.

Could’ve Belichick had kept him on as year-to-year depth at linebacker? Given his apparent love of older linebackers in the last few years, it’s certainly plausible. But it wasn’t to be.

—

Asante Samuel being allowed to walk did open a lot of eyes, however.

He was slapped with the franchise tag in 2007 on the condition that it would not be applied in 2008 if he played in 60% of defensive snaps or the Patriots won 12 games.

Instead of negotiating a lucrative extension for a player that was becoming one of the best shutdown corners in the league, the Patriots may have burned their bridge to Samuel by locking him down with the franchise tag.

Players hate the franchise tag because, in a rough and tumble league where it’s very easy to tear, blow out, break, strain, or otherwise destroy something along with your value, playing one year without a safety net or a big signing bonus is a huge risk.

Couple that with the fact that you get franchised right at the time that, usually, you’re supposed to cash in with a huge contract and it’s easy to see why players get miffed at it.

So Asante was a little unhappy with the designation.

This was an ugly breakup, to say the least, with talk that Samuel would only show up to play a little more than half way through the season, earn his year of service, and hit the bricks and never look back.

The Patriots obviously felt he was worth the money with Samuel tying Champ Bailey for the the league lead in interceptions with 10 despite being overlooked for the Pro Bowl.

Yet, the Patriots didn’t want to commit the type of money a player of Samuel’s caliber commands in the open market (something in the vein of the $56 million over six years with $20 million guaranteed the Eagles gave him).

Still, they could’ve saved money by signing him to an extension in 2007 rather than franchising him. The way the salaries in the league escalate, I think it was pretty apparent that $45-50 million over 6 years would’ve gotten the job done.

For example, look at the contract extension the raiders just gave Nnamdi “My Spellchecker Just Blew Up” Asomugha: a minimum of $45 million over three years, with the first two years—worth nearly $30 million—completely guaranteed.

At that kind of money Samuel, who dominated in his franchised year of 2007, earned his first Pro Bowl nod, and nearly sealed the Super Bowl against the Giants with an extremely rare dropped interception, would’ve been a bargain.

But the Patriots have gotten where they are not by following the crowd and escalating with the rest of the league, but by in doing what makes sense for them. 

Still, locking up one of the league’s best cornerbacks, at just 26 years old, for six years at $8 million per certainly would’ve been nice for New England.

They instead concocted the “we won’t do it again in 2008, we promise” deal they eventually worked out with Samuel, had an unbeaten regular season, then big adieu to arguably the best Patriot cornerback ever.

Those Yet to Come: 2010 Free Agents Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Jarvis Green, Logan Mankins, Kevin Faulk, Stephen Neal, Stephen Gostkowski, Ben Watson, Nick Kaczur, etc.

If you’re thinking, “That’s a lot of starters,” well, you’re right.

The three biggest names on this list are arguably DT/NT Vince Wilfork, RDE Richard Seymour, and G Logan Mankins.

The anchors of the defensive line and an All-Pro Guard in Mankins, the Patriots will have to probably part ways with at least one of those players.

At a combined bulk of 942 pounds and seven Pro Bowls at an average age of just 27, they’re worth their weight in free-agent gold.

Seymour has struggled with injury in recent years, missing four games in 2005 and seven in 2007. He came back with a vengeance last year, recording eight sacks in 15 games, his best statistical season since 2003.

Seymour has been around and dominant for so long he seems like he must be 31 or 32 by now but he’s still just 29 (will be 30 in October) and already has five Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro selections to his name.

Certainly with this being a contract year, you’d look for him to have a season equivalent to what he managed this past year, assuming he stays healthy.

With that kind of performance, though, it’s likely he’ll command a huge contract extension. With more teams moving to 3-4 he’s the ideal size for a two-gap blindside defensive end while still maintaining an explosive burst to the pass rusher.

His play had fallen off somewhat in the past couple years but the time out from injury seems to have sparked whatever it was that he lost and he looks like, once again, one of the best pass-rushing ends in the game.

Vince Wilfork, as well, is one of the best at his position in the game.

At just 27 (28 in November), he’s got his best years ahead of him, but has been rewarded with just one Pro Bowl, this past season.

It’s tough going for any DT/NT playing the 3-4, though.

You have to soak up double teams and usually cover two gaps while maintaining a physical base and anchoring your line at the 0-technique (over the center) so you can stop the run.

It’s arguably the most essential position for a successful 3-4 and it’s why players like Boston College’s B.J. Raji, the ideal body type for the position (minus the short arms) who models his play after Wilfork, end up as top-10 picks in the draft.

Still, on Pro Bowl ballots these guys have to compete with guys like Albert Haynesworth who, as a DT in the 4-3, is able to rack up better stats because they don’t have to deal with as many double teams and can compress the pocket more, getting more sacks.

Wilfork is in on every defensive down though, putting in more time for less exposure (and less money) to casual fans.

It has gotten better though, as both Wilfork and Steelers NT Casey Hampton (injury replacement) made the Pro Bowl this season (Hampton’s fourth selection) primarily playing out of the 3-4, opening up lanes to the QB for their Pro Bowl teammates Mike Vrabel and James Harrison.

Because, in the words of Wolverine (I need a drink after this reference): “I’m the best at what I do but what I do isn’t very nice.”

It’s why when you look at NFL.com’s Pro Bowl roster page for 2008 you get a fun little “highlight” button after pretty much everyone’s name.

Well, pretty much everyone but Wilfork, the offensive linemen, and the kickers. (And, for some reason, Champ Bailey? This is what happens when nobody throws your way, Champ.)

Either way, the Patriots would be mad to let him walk, right?

The Patriots drafted three DTs this year, including Raji’s teammate Ron Brace in the second round. Unless Belichick is thinking of switching to the 4-3, that’s a lot of guys to play one position with a 27-year old Pro Bowler as the incumbent.

Unless that guy’s going to walk.

And given the long history they have with letting popular, productive players walk, even when they’re in their prime, I wouldn’t be surprised if they do let a guy like Wilfork walk rather than pay him big-time DT money.

The Patriots could franchise Wilfork and re-sign Seymour, which wouldn’t lock up too much money, but if Wilfork’s franchise tender is based off of DT money, it pays him based on contracts given to guys like Haynesworth rather than guys like Hampton.

Then, if Wilfork walks after 2010, they could have several guys, Brace included, ready to fill that spot.

While the salary cap escalates, again, to $128 million next year and there’s a really solid chance there won’t be a salary cap in 2010, the Patriots do have to watch their cap room.

They have to, not because re-signing both Seymour and Wilfork to free agent contracts will leave them with little room to make moves next offseason (even though it would), but because of the contracts that are up after 2010:

QB, Thomas Brady.

LT, Matthew Light.

RB, Lawrence Maroney.

Yikes.

That’ll certainly put Belichick and Kraft’s system to the test.

Saints’ Sean Payton Recovered From Early Setback

Former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel stripped brash, young offensive coordinator Sean Payton of his play-calling duties after the 2002 New York Giants scored 10 or fewer points in four of their first seven games.

With Fassel calling the shots, the Giants averaged 27 points, won seven of their nine games and scored 38 in a wild first-round playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Although Payton kept his title, the scoring explosion pointed to him as the real goat rather than just the scapegoat for the slow start. 

Suffice it to say he recovered from the most embarrassing time of his coaching life pretty well. His career trajectory has gone straight up while Fassel’s has gone straight down.

Fassell has been fired twice, first by the Giants two weeks before the end of the 2003 season, then by the Baltimore Ravens in October of 2006 as offensive coordinator after his unit ranked 31st, 24th and 28th in two and a half years. He has been out of the league since then and reportedly will coach the Las Vegas franchise in the upstart UFL this fall.

Payton, entering his fourth year as coach of the New Orleans Saints, is one of the most gifted quarterback tutors and daring play-callers in the NFL. He might be too daring at times – witness the botched reverse against the Tampa Bay Bucs that turned a late lead into a lousy loss two years ago – but the good far outweighs the bad.

Dallas signed Tony Romo as an undrafted rookie at Payton’s urging in 2003. The payoff: two Pro-Bowl appearances.

New Orleans signed free agent Drew Brees with Payton’s support three months after they hired him in 2006 even though Brees was coming off elbow surgery.

The payoff?

The Saints led the NFL in total offense and passing offense while finishing fifth in Payton’s first year.

They were fourth in total offense, third in passing and 12th in scoring in 2007.

Last year, they ranked first in all three categories even though running backs Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister, wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jeremy Shockey missed significant time with injuries. Pierre Thomas, the Saints’ leading rusher, was an undrafted free agent. Lance Moore, their leading receiver, had 33 career catches entering the season and was considered a complementary player at best.

Brees was the only marquee guy who stayed healthy, but Payton’s offense didn’t miss a beat.

Payton, 45, cannot be classified as a protégé of any other coach. His pass-heavy, aggressive approach is nothing like the two men he considers his closest NFL mentors.

He learned how to coach offense in the NFL from Jon Gruden, the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 1997 when he took his first NFL job there as QB coach.

He learned organizational skills from Parcells, who hired him in Dallas before the Giants could fire him at the end of 2002. 

Gruden’s offenses were conservative at Tampa Bay. Parcells’ offenses have been conservative almost everywhere.

Before his setback in New York, Payton made his name there. Fassel asked him to call the plays for the first time in a Dec. 5 game against the New York Jets when he was just the quarterbacks coach. The Giants exploded for 41 points and 490 yards.

They reached the Super Bowl in 2000 with Payton as offensive coordinator and play-caller. Under his guidance, quarterback Kerry Collins threw for a career-high 3,610 yards.

Then, suddenly, Payton was done as a play-caller for three years. He did not regain that duty until 2005, when Parcells named him passing game coordinator in Dallas.

He has total control of the offense in New Orleans. Although he does not get in the way of his assistants, it’s his show.

When former offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Doug Marrone accepted the Syracuse coaching job last December, Payton let him leave before the end of the season, and the staff operated shorthanded for the last two games.

No harm there since Payton is the de-facto coordinator. New Orleans scored 42 and 31 points.

Most of his assistants in New Orleans had limited NFL backgrounds when he hired them.

Running backs coach Brett Ingalls, wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson and tight ends coach Terry Malone became first-time NFL assistants in 2006.

New offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, Jr. did not become a full NFL position coach until Payton hired him to work with the quarterbacks in 2006. 

Quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi was at tiny Mercyhurst College from 2002-05.

Line coach Aaron Kromer, who held the same role with the Oakland Raiders when they played in the 2003 Super Bowl, is the only offensive assistant with real autonomy.

The makeup of the defensive staff, away from Payton’s expertise, is completely different.

New coordinator Gregg Williams, new line coach Bill Johnson (replacing Ed Orgeron, who left for a college job at Tennessee), linebackers coach Joe Vitt and secondary coach Dennis Allen have 64 years of NFL experience among them.

Williams’ experience could help him succeed where former defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs failed.

Gibbs, a first-time NFL coordinator, did not have the same credibility as Payton. 

Williams does.

His reference list includes legendary 46 defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who was with the Tennessee Titans in 1993 when Williams was special teams coach, Titans coach Jeff Fisher, whom he worked under from 1994 to 2000, and Joe Gibbs. Gibbs hired him to be defensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins in 2004 after his failed three-year stint as Buffalo Bills coach.

Williams, 50, chose New Orleans over Green Bay even though he and Payton did not know each other well. Williams wanted to coach along side a prolific offense. Payton wanted a proven winner.

The brash young coach has grown up.

Bears Have Great Expectations, But Don’t Supersize Them Yet

The instant that the Bears acquired Jay Cutler in a Bronco-bustin’ trade last month, everyone from fans to media have been overcome by a wild fit of optimism the likes of which haven’t been seen or heard in recent memory, maybe ever.

Who could blame these people, really? Chicago has a franchise quarterback every Halley’s Comet or so, and the mere thought of a Pro Bowler behind center was enough to trigger visions of victory celebrations and Super Bowl parades in the years to come.

Whoa there, Bronko. Remember, last season this team ranked 26th in yards per game and 14th in points per game on offense, 21st in yards allowed and 16th in points allowed on defense and failed to make the playoffs in a Bounty-soft division. If there are two things that Cutler cannot do, then it’s 1) catch his own pass for substantial yardage, and 2) intercept one within the rules on the bench.

So put the navy blue-and-burnt orange Kool-Aid in the fridge for the moment. Unless something drastic comes about between now the regular-season opener —Anquan Boldin, anyone?—these are the realistic expectations for the Bears in the 2009 season.

A more balanced offense. The Bears ranked higher in pass yards per game (21st) than on the ground (24th) last season, but the numbers are a bit deceptive. Because the offense had no deep game to speak of—it didn’t produce a TD pass of more than 51 yards until the 12th week of the season—opponents crowded the of line scrimmage like the front door of an unemployment office.

Enter J.C. Superstar and his golden right arm.

Cutler won’t put up the 4,500-plus yards and 25 touchdowns that he did with the Denver Broncos last season. In fact, he may not come close. In a more run-oriented offense, Cutler won’t put the ball in the air nearly as often this season. Plus, the Bears lack the kind of accomplished receivers that he had a year ago.

Even so, Cutler has the mobility and arm strength to take the pass game to a level that hasn’t been witnessed since…since…the Erik Kramer days? What’s more, the threat of Cutler with the ball in his right hand should make the ground attack that much better. Because feature back Matt Forte won’t have to run against eight defenders in the box nearly as often, a 1,500-yard season isn’t out of the question for him.

An improved pass rush. For all the negative talk about the offense last season, the defense failed to get ‘er done too many times as well. In particular, the lack of a consistent pass rush was a problem. The unit accounted for only 28 sacks, the ninth-lowest total in the league. Only three players had as many as four takedowns and none had more than a half-dozen.

The inability to pressure the quarterback in pass situations had a ripple effect on the rest of the unit. No defense in the league blitzed more than this one, and the decreased numbers in the secondary left it vulnerable especally against short-to-medium routes.

In ends Alex Brown, Israel Idonije and Adewale Ogunleye, tackles Dusty Dvoracek, Marcus Harrison and Tommie Harris and weak-side linebacker Lance Briggs, the front line packs enough talent, experience and numbers to bounce back this season. There should be no shortage of motivation, either, as the contracts of Idonije and Ogunleye are scheduled to expire after the season.

The NFC North championship. In each of the last six seasons, either nine or 10 victories were enough to win the division crown. Figure those to be the magic numbers again, as the competition appears to be more balanced from top to bottom this time around.

Given their manageable schedule, only health problems may stand between the Bears and 10 victories. In addition to the six games versus division rivals, they are scheduled to play against the NFC West teams (Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams), the AFC North teams (Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers) in addition to the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles.

At this point, only the dates with the Cardinals (home), Eagles (home), Falcons (road), Ravens (road), Steelers (home) and Seahawks (road) appear to be difficult ones.

If the Bears can split the half-dozen toughies, take 4-of-6 in the division and win three of the other four, then that adds up to 10 victories and a division championship in all probability.

One the top three conference postseason seeds. OK, let’s be positive here. Suppose the football gods are kind enough to hand the Bears an 11th victory. In all likelihood, that leaves them at no worse than the No. 3 seed in the conference playoffs, a bye in the first round and at least one more game at home.

A postseason victory would be a giant step forward for the Bears in general and Cutler in particular. The guy has zero playoff victories in his three-year career— or the same number as Kyle Orton, the quarterback for whom he was traded. Cutler needs to silence the wolves that question his leadership abilities, and the sooner he does  it, the better it will be for him and his team.

The Super Bowl XLIV championship—but only if the Cubs win the World Series first.

The 2001 Baltimore Ravens: My Favorite Team of All-Time

The 2001 Baltimore Ravens were the champions of Superbowl XXXV, and also the team that got me to follow football thoroughly.

I remember watching that season with my uncle, who was in the hospital at the time. Every Sunday I would visit him, and we would watch the Ravens play. I was young at the time, and I really did not know much about football—only that the Ravens were my home team and they were not that good.

Nobody expected the Ravens to accomplish what they did that year, and this is evident by the video games of that year. In the NFL Blitz game for that season, the Baltimore Ravens were given the worst possible ranking for defense. Needless to say, that was not quite accurate.

Even when the Ravens made the playoffs that year, no one expected them to really have a shot at a Superbowl championship. It was enough of a shock that they came away with a win in the wild card round, when they dominated the Broncos 21-3.

Then, they had to go to their division rivals the Tennessee Titans. The Titans had gone 13-3 in the regular season and were expected to win the game easily. But after a blocked field goal was returned for a touchdown by Anthony Mitchell, the Ravens took the lead, and then Ray Lewis secured the win with an interception return for a touchdown.

The Ravens then were dominate against the Raiders for the AFC title, as they only allowed three points in the game, and they knocked out Rich Gannon early on. After the performance, the Ravens were ready to go to the Superbowl to face the New York Giants.

The game was just as easy as the past one, as the Ravens won 34-7 by forcing five turnovers. The most memorable moments of the game were, undoubtedly, the three touchdowns in twenty seconds. Duane Starks returned an interception for a touchdown, then on the kickoff Ron Dixon returned the ball for a touchdown. Immediately after on the next kickoff, Jermaine Lewis scored another touchdown, to cap off the 21-point series with twenty seconds coming off the clock.

The improbability of the Ravens Super Bowl win was enormous. It brought life to the city of Baltimore, and led me to follow football.

NFL Whirlwind Previews: Jacksonville Jaguars

The 2007 Jacksonville Jaguars scared the then-perfect Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. Now, a season and record inversion (they went from 11-5 to 5-11 in ’08) later, they’re practically back to the drawing board.

Or are they?

Yep, Jax seems to have taken on the classic “build from the trenches” mode, but that doesn’t mean all the important parts of their most recent successful iteration are gone.

But will the combination of remaining talent, signed veterans, and drafted building blocks result in a return to the postseason? Let me answer that in roundabout fashion.

 

Offense: Something Old (That’s Still Pretty New) and Something New (That’s Kinda Old)

To get the obvious out of the way: You done good, Jags, by locking up one Mr. Jones-Drew. Maurice may look diminutive, but boy, has he proved himself at the pro level.

Yes, when he was drafted it wasn’t a sure thing that he could be a feature back. And yes, mentor and franchise-face Fred Taylor is now gone, but I think it’s pretty clear MJD, at the ripe old age of 24 (how can he still be that young?), is the future.

Besides, he’s still running behind Greg Jones, who might just be the best fullback in the league. But beyond that killer duo, we’ve got question marks.

Quarterback is set, though not everyone is necessarily satisfied with the decision; David Garrard is still your Black and Teal signal-caller despite last season’s rocky performance. Not that there’s any real competition for him (Cleo Lemon and Todd Bouman are the backups), but Garrard must look more like himself of two years ago.

Good thing all reports through spring have been that he’s nailing it. Guy’s always had a plus arm, but he even more than other QBs needs time and competence around him to execute.

Receiver is, as usual, an area of concern as well. The Jaguars for years relied on the draft to acquire their catching threats and, though they definitely won’t abandon that strategy, they are now pulling in veterans with increasing frequency. The Jerry Porter experiment is over after one season, but Jax is giving it another go with a greybeard wideout. This time, it’s Torry Holt.

So that’s the change necessary?

OK, so it doesn’t look a whole lot different. Yet there are reasons to believe this corps will be better.

Word from OTAs is that Holt has inspired Dennis Northcutt and the field-ready Mike Walker. Hopefully, Troy Williamson can find ways to contribute, too. Perhaps Garrard will have just enough legitimate targets to keep defenses from keying on Jones-Drew.

Meanwhile, the line looks solid, though it faces pressure at both ends of the age spectrum. Freshly signed Tra Thomas, set to start at left tackle, has played 12 years already (most of them stellar campaigns with Philadelphia), while freshly drafted Eugene Monroe, Thomas’ potential competition (but likely backup for now), is remarkably talented but needs a tad bit of seasoning.

Too bad both of the trenchmen taken in the draft (Eben Britton of Arizona was the team’s second-round pick) have predominantly played the left side to this point, as the right could use some patching. Looks like Tony Pashos will be at right tackle again unless Britton fully commits to switching; solid Maurice Williams mans the RG spot.

At least Brad Meester is still at center and Uche Nwaneri provides great depth.

Now, seems like I’m forgetting something…

Oh yeah. Tght end Marcedes Lewis, please show up! At this rate, rookie Zach Miller could be pushing you.

 

Defense: Recapture the Magic

Seems like it should be easy, considering ten of the projected starters were on the roster last season.

But the scheme changes on this side of the ball make returning to the dominance of ’06 tough, as does the turnover at the coordinator position. This year we’ll see Mel Tucker man the spot as the third man in as many years. He makes sense as a candidate, considering his experience with secondaries and the strength of that unit on the Jags.

See, Rashean Mathis and Brian Williams have formed one of the best corner duos in the league for years running now. Free safety Reggie Nelson needs a little kick in the pants after a bit of a down second year; good thing Sean Considine was signed from the Eagles to man the strong spot and fuel the fire of his complement.

The linebacker rotation took a huge hit with the loss of team tackling leader Mike Peterson. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it: His departure for Atlanta makes the ‘backing corps worse.

Of course, a step up from Justin Durant (who still is criticized for not playing to his tremendous athleticism) could do a lot to make up for it. In all likelihood, he’ll be next to Daryl Smith, a guy who manages to get everywhere, and opposite Clint Ingram, who plays aggressively, getting two sacks in limited downs last year.

But even more than Durant’s play, it will be the “four” in the “4-3” that determine the play of the “three,” or the entirety of the D, for that matter.

The team can’t get around the fact that longtime stud tackle Marcus Stroud is now in Buffalo, but the front can create the pressure and plug the holes as effectively if John Henderson steps up.

Yes, your mate is a million miles north, man, but now you’ve got draftee Terrance Knighton to create competition at the spot beside you, where Derek Landri, Attiyah Ellison, and even incumbent Rob Meier are already battling. Use the extra energy from there to your advantage!

Heck, maybe you’ll further inspire one of those second-year ex-SEC ends (Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves) to continue their second-half improvements from last season. Or maybe Reggie Hayward will see another vet picking up the slack and want to pitch in.

In my mind, the D-line need only realize what they’re capable of as a group, and the Jacksonville defense could experience a resurgence.

 

Overall Outlook: The Stars Could Align

It would take Thomas defying his years or Monroe stepping in right away.

This team would need Henderson to play as though his old buddy were still there or the rest of the defensive front four immediately rising to their potential.

But the Jaguars could return to the playoffs. They’re similar enough to Jacksonville 2007, and if you don’t trust in “The Suit” (Coach Jack Del Rio), you must not trust your own father.

More likely? The team goes 6-10 and finally decides they need to draft a quarterback.

But Garrard and the rest have one opportunity to bounce back.

Cardinals’ Boldin Plans on Firing Rosenhaus

According to ESPN.com’s Mike Sando, disgruntled Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin has reportedly decided to fire his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, after requests for a new contract or a trade to another team have apparently fallen on deaf ears.

“Regarding Anquan Boldin, let me say that I have great respect for him. I’m hopeful we can work this out and he can return to the Rosenhaus Sports family in the near future. We are proud to continue to represent his brother, D.J. Boldin,” Rosenhaus said. 

Rosenhaus had previously tried to pressure the Cardinals into trading Boldin earlier in the offseason prior to the NFL Draft.

With two years remaining on a contract signed in 2005, Boldin has been in pursuit of a new deal ever since teammate Larry Fitzgerald received a four-year, $40 million contract extension in 2008. The Cardinals have instead planned on renegotiating deals with safety Adrian Wilson and linebacker Karlos Dansby. 

Boldin has reportedly sought the representation of two of Fitzgerald’s agents, Eugene Parker and Paul Lawrence.

Boldin has reportedly wanted $10 million a year in a potential new deal from the Cardinals. Rosenhaus reported on his Twitter account on May 18 that “We recently made a proposal to the Cards for less.”

 

The Houston Texans Draft: Some Head-Scratching, but That’s Not Unusual

Many sports fans around the country have started various traditions to observe NFL Draft Day. Some meet up at the local sports bar and hoot and howl the day long as the picks are revealed. Others plan a day-long cookout at the house, inviting their buds over to check out the new big-screen TV. And then there are those who tell their wives they’re going to the stadium to join the other fans, then sneak out to the gentleman’s club.

Houstonians have developed their own tradition: the head-scratching party. Earl Campbell spoiled us, to be sure, because despite an overwhelming number of high draft picks since that fabled 1979 draft, Houston—neither the Oilers nor the Texans—has ever managed to snag the big prize on Draft Day since Earl graced the Astrodome.

This year’s draft by the Texans certainly didn’t force any of us to change our dandruff shampoo, because we’re still scratching our heads. By all rights and appearances, the Texans needed at least one top-of-the-line defensive back, preferably a corner.

Instead, they went with a linebacker and defensive lineman in the first two rounds before grabbing New Mexico’s Glover Quin in the third. Houston added Utah corner Brice McCain in the sixth round and safety Troy Nolan of Arizona State in the seventh—but none of the three were rated in the Top 10 prospects lists put out by anyone save possibly for head coach Gary Kubiak and GM Rick Smith.

That’s not disparaging the picks: the Texans have actually had a fair amount of luck with down-in-the-order picks like Steve Slaton, Owen Daniel and others. For the got-to-have-it-today fans, however, a Texans draft is something like shopping at Wal-Mart—you never know if that bargain-priced item is gonna work ‘til you get it home and plug it in.

The emergence of Slaton last season came as an extremely pleasant surprise, and he’s certainly won over a lot of Texans fans—but as we saw in the season finale, Slaton is not the second coming of Earl. He’s extremely good at what he does, but he’s not the bullish back that can squeeze out that one yard on fourth and inches. “Overall, it would probably have been a more sexy draft for everybody had we corralled a running back, which was a priority for us,” Texans Director of College Scouting Dale Strahm noted on the Texans’ official website.

By all reports, first-round pick LB Brian Cushing of USC and second-round pick DE Connor Barwin of Cinncinnati are solid prospects. The Texans could certainly use some extra punch at linebacker to complement Demeco Ryans and I hate to make this kind of prediction, but the Texans defensive line could be—in this fourth year of the Mario Williams era—one of the best in the game.

Cushing, of course, was an All-American, a finalist for the Butkus Award and a semifinalist for the Lombardi Trophy. He has the kind of blue-collar attitude the Texans staff—and their fans—like, and could have an immediate impact. Barwin is a converted tight end/H-back who in his first season as a defender registered 12 sacks.

Quin is known as a lock-down cover man who is a big hitter—something Houston has been sadly lacking from the defensive backfield for some time. McCain doesn’t have the size (he’s just 5-9) but does have some versatility as a kick returner.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Texans made one pick I like and two that put nail-marks on my bald pate. Center Antoine Caldwell of Alabama is a tank, the kind no Houston team has had since Carl Mauck. And all the early reports we’re seeing on the youngster indicates that he has that same kind of spirit. The Texans have been quietly building a half-decent offensive line—a couple of years too late for David Carr, sadly, but no doubt Matt Schaub and Sage Rosenfels will be happy with him, especially if new line coach and certain Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews can help develop him quickly.

Now, the Texans have the league’s best receiving tight end in Daniel, and with Andre Johnson, Andre Hill, Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones, they have possibly the most explosive aerial corps in the league. So why, we head-scratchers wonder, did they expend two draft picks on tight ends?

Kubiak and Smith have both indicated they were drafted for versatility and athleticism. Both NC State’s Anthony Hill, taken in the fourth round, and James Casey of Rice, taken in the fifth, have Houston connections. Both also have NFL-caliber credentials: Hill is a strapping 6’6″ and 265 pounds and was widely recognized as the most versatile tight end in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Casey was an All-America as a tight end, but started in all three receiver spots in Rice’s wacky offense.

So what might at first seem puzzling to some observers could well end up making Kubiak and Smith look like geniuses, if either or both have the same kind of impact that a Daniels or Slaton have had.

The Texans’ best choices, however, weren’t on Draft Day. The team signed a couple of pedigreed players as non-drafted free agents who could have as much or more impact than any of those drafted.

Matt Turk has been consistently solid as the Texans’ punter since signing as a free agent—but he’s also entering his 13th year. So Houston picked up Texas A&M’s Justin Brantly—whose 44.3 yards per punt in his Aggie career bested that of future Hall of Famer Shane Lechler. Just in case you might think that coincidence—Shane used to babysit for Brantly’s family when both lived in East Bernard, southwest of Houston.

(This is sad for me, noting that Shane is headed to the Hall of Fame—I covered him when he was a 17-year-old high schooler, which means I’m now officially “old!”)

The other free-agent signing I think that could fit the bill could be that of RB Arian Foster of Tennessee. Foster was a thousand-yard rusher as a junior and looked to be among the nation’s best last year, but knee surgery and a lackluster supporting cast halved his production in 2008. At 6’1″ and 215 pounds, he has a reputation as that straight-ahead, between-the-tackles runner the Texans need to complement Slaton.

It’s unfair of all these youngsters to expect any of them to have the same kind of immediate impact that Ryans or some of the other gems the Texans have had; in all truth, it’s usually their third year before a player comes into his own in the NFL, if he’s going to be a star. The Texans staff appears confident it will have the time to accomplish that development.

Buffalo Bills in Reality

I am a Buffalo Bills fan by all means don’t get me wrong, but all this hype surrounding this team is too much. It’s time we come to our senses, and start becoming real.

The Bills will end up going 9-7. They will lose to the Patriots twice, the Dolphins and the Jets once, and the Panthers, Titans, and Falcons.

Buffalo will beat the Buccaneers, Saints, Browns, Dolphins, and Jets once, as well as the Chiefs and the Colts.

The reason for my prediction is simple really, and it is as follows.

Trent will start off great and the Bills will do great for the first five weeks, but Trent will have something bad happen, like an injury, or the cold weather will kick in will start to get to him. 

Turk Schonert’s “no huddle” offense will go bad when Marshawyn Lynch decides he “needs a PB and J sandwich” in between plays or else he can’t perform.

Lee Evans and Terrell Ownes will engage in what would mimic an episode of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”  over who is the No. 1 receiver, in which Evans will end up killing T.O. and will proceed to eat popcorn in Owens’ respect.

By the way, Owens will ask the front office to make one of the home games “Terrell Owens day,” which will feature the field to be painted with his face in the middle, and the fan giveaway will be a bag of popcorn and some chicken wings!

When Trent is out for who knows why, Ryan Fitzpatrick will complete the process of upsetting Owens and will cry “hi mom” when Owens “used his pimp hand” to beat up Ryan.

Dick Jauron will flee to Canada after he is worried the Bills will go 7-9 again. That or Dick reveals he is actually a robot and that he has came to make peace with Earth. He will reveal this at a press conference after being asked why he shows no anger when loosing 72-0.

I try to remain optimistic but this team really can’t prove themselves until I see them at training camp in August. In reality the Bills will probably end up somewhere in between 7-9 and 9-7, which means another great year of .500 football! I cant wait…

 

2009 Steelers – Super Bowl Or Bust

“Supper Bowl. Write it down.”

 

The above malapropism was supposedly written on a blackboard at Steelers training camp approximately 20 years ago by quarterback Bubby Brister. Brister was never known for his intellect, but in hindsight if we can understand his writing we can see he was predicting the beginning of an era of Steelers football that has suffered through only four losing records in the last 20 seasons.

 

But this year is different. This isn’t 1989, where Steelers fans were just elated to be in the playoffs after a five-year hiatus, or 1992, when Pittsburgh won their first division title in eight years, or even 2001 and 2004, when despite playing poorly in the AFC Championship game the Steelers’ respective 13 and 15 victory seasons out of nowhere could hardly be called disappointments.

 

This is a season where the Pittsburgh Steelers should be improved from last year’s World Championship season. Where the key returning players are all in their prime, the schedule is easier, and with Rashard Mendenhall coming back from injury it could be argued Pittsburgh will reap the benefits of having two new first-round draft choices contribute this season.

 

Super Bowl. Write it down.

 

True, the New England Patriots have been installed as the Vegas favorite to win Super Bowl XLIV.

 

But the demands of Pittsburgh Steelers fans will not allow them to call another division title with home field advantage a successful season should the Patriots beat them in the playoffs for the third time this decade and fourth time in five postseason meetings dating to 1996.  That would allow the Patriots to officially clinch the title of “Team of the Decade,” if they haven’t already.

 

More importantly, should New England go on to win their fourth Super Bowl this season, it would allow this era’s Patriots to be favorably compared head-to-head with the Steelers of the Seventies. And with five conference titles in a decade compared to the four Pittsburgh won from 1974-79, one can argue the Steelers’ championships were more concentrated, but . . .

 

Fear not, fellow Yinzers! The Steelers will again win the Super Bowl because –

 

• There are no key roster losses. Offensive tackle Marvell Smith? He only played in five games last season and the team won the Super Bowl. Bryan McFadden? He only played in 10. Nate Washington and Byron Leftwich? They didn’t even start. And while inside linebacker Larry Foote has left for Detroit, do you honestly think when Foote recorded 63 tackles as a starter and heir apparent Lawrence Timmons collected 65 as a backup it is a regression?
• There are plenty of roster gains. Maybe the draft did underwhelm, but didn’t the selection of a defensive lineman and right guard seem wise on a team where all the starting defensive linemen are more than 30 years old and the team allowed 49 regular season sacks? What can’t be denied is the return of Rashard Mendenhall to run between the tackles, Daniel Sepulveda to punt instead of Mitch Berger or Paul Ernster, or the fact defensive backs Keiwan Ratliff, Keenan Lewis, and Joe Burnett figure to combat the loss of McFadden, who was hardly the sole reason the defense finished at the top of the league’s statistical rankings last year.
• The schedule has to be easier. While it’s true what was billed as “the league’s toughest schedule” referred to the opponents’ 2007 records and not 2008, the strength of the Steelers schedule still was the second toughest ever for a Super Bowl champion and seventh overall in the league. Pittsburgh played seven games against playoff teams in the regular season, posting a less-than-impressive 3-4 mark, though it should be mentioned Baltimore was 2-5 against foes that made the playoffs and Arizona 1-4 during the 2008 regular season. What’s more impressive is that outside the division Pittsburgh played only one team with a losing record (Jacksonville) and indirectly kept Dallas and New England out of the playoffs, while preventing both Houston and Washington from having winning seasons. This year’s slate features eight games against opponents with losing records in 2008. Finish 7-1 against them and the Steelers need only play .500 against the big boys to finish 11-5.
• The best players are all in their prime. Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, and Troy Polamalu are all veterans and are all younger than 30. Tell me these aren’t five of the Steelers’ six best players.
• The offensive line can’t be any worse than it was last year. Can it?

 

If you’re dead set on playing the pessimism game, yes, James Farrior will be 35 by the time the playoffs roll around. Hines Ward and Aaron Smith are 33. Deshea Townsend will be 34.

 

But have any of their performances shown significant signs of a future rapid decline? One might argue Ward, who caught only two passes in the Super Bowl, but he caught nine passes during the postseason, second only to Holmes’ 13 on the team, and averaged 18.7 yards on them despite a knee injury.

 

And, yes, if the offensive line continues to allow more than three sacks a game and Roethlisberger is lost for the season, it will be difficult for the Steelers to repeat, just as it would be difficult for any team to overcome the loss of their starting quarterback.

 

But all things considered, the 2009 Steelers figure to be better than the 2008 squad.

 

Of course, so do the 2009 Patriots with Tom Brady. That’s why a Super Bowl championship is the only way the 2009 Steelers can be called successful by their demanding fans.

 

The franchise’s legacy depends on it.

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