Three Key Questions for the Eagles’ Playbook

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Every offseason, things change.

Players, coaches, playbooks, style, attack, planning; it all gets rebooted or tweaked over the course of just a few months.

With the moves the Eagles made, or didn’t make, this offseason, they too will see some significant changes and need to make some significant adjustments to their plan of attack. So, let’s highlight the three key changes for this 2009 squad.

 

1. The anticipated loss of defensive coordinator Jim Johnson

This one is especially difficult as Johnson is battling cancer in his spine and most likely won’t be able to coach the defense this year, as he’s already taken an indefinite leave. His focus is rather on beating the deadly disease rather than beating opposing quarterbacks, so with that, secondary coach Sean McDermott is poised to take over the reins.

McDermott has been in Philadelphia for 11 seasons and built his way up the coaching ladder. He was a safety for four years at William & Mary and right after his career ended, went into coaching.

The focus of Johnson’s defense, as we all know by now, is blitzing. The Eagles would often stack seven, eight, sometimes even nine men in the box and throw all kinds of different players from all kinds of different directions at the offensive line and quarterback.

With solid, cornerstone cornerbacks like Troy Vincent, Bobby Taylor, Sheldon Brown, Lito Sheppard, and now Asante Samuel, Johnson has always had the ability to leave his corners in single coverage along the outside, knowing they would stick to the wideouts.

McDermott trained and learned from Johnson during his time with the Eagles. But, everyone has their own different style, their own way of doing things. So, the question now becomes, what will McDermott do?

Will he blitz the hell out of the opposition like Johnson? Will he work in more zone schemes and trust his guys to stay at home? Will he keep the safeties back in pass coverage and trust his lineman to put pressure on the quarterback?

Most likely the basis of Johnson defense will remain, but McDermott, as acting defensive coordinator, will most certainly tweak things here and there. The defense was built to Johnson’s standards—shutdown corners, a deep defensive line, hard-hitting safeties than get can cause pressure—so we’ll see how McDermott takes someone else’s personnel and runs with it.

 

2. 2. The addition of LeSean McCoy

Surely, the Eagles didn’t draft Shady to stick him on the bench.

Well, at least we hope not.

But, either way, with this kind of talent in the backfield, Andy Reid and Co. should certainly look to run the ball a little bit more than they have in the past. And by a little bit more, I mean at least a few a carries here and there.

Because, really, how many times have the Eagles passes on first down? On second down and short? On third and inches? Just about all the time. Like almost 100 percent. See, doing this once and while, perhaps involving play action, is fine. It changes things up, it keeps the defense on their toes, figuring you’re going to pound it inside to pick up those few yards, but maybe, just maybe, you’ll try something short out in the flats or over the middle to the tight end.

But, when you’re the Eagles, it’s fairly obvious that you’re going to throw a 10-yard crossing route to a mediocre wide receiver or try something downfield when all you need is a few inches. It’s fairly obvious when the fact that you can’t run in between the tackles is compounded by the fact that you don’t even remotely try to do so.

My pent-up anger with the Eagles’ play calling aside, the fact is they have one of the best young running backs in the NFL on their roster right now. And, not to mention, still have a little player named Brian Westbrook hanging out at the top of the depth chart. That one-two punch, and yea, they are more or less the same size and same type of runner, could be lethal. If Reid uses them right.

And with his massive offensive line, using them right is simply giving each a minimum of 10-15 carries per game. That needs to be done, there’s no question about it.

 

3. The loss of Brian Dawkins

B-Dawk leaving hurts more inside than it does on the roster, but still, the safety and security he offered leaves a void the Eagles might never be able to fill.

Dawkins was not only the vocal and emotional leader of the Eagles, he was a Pro Bowl caliber free safety. He could knock you out, pick you off and was a player every opposing quarterback needed to eye on every offensive possession.

The Eagles have replaced Dawkins with a two-headed monster of second-year player Quintin Demps and free-agent acquisition Sean Jones. Jones had some starting experience with the Browns, while Demps filled in on passing downs and other packages last year for the Eagles.

Demps has the chance to be a pretty good player. He’s athletic, he’s fast, he’s quick, he can make plays on the ball. But, as we saw last year in the NFC Championship game, he’s got a long ways to go before he can be fully trusted to not give up the kinds of plays he gave up to Larry Fitzgerald.

Jones, meanwhile, has put up pretty good numbers. He can tackle (111 in 2006, 96 in 2007, 56 last year while battling injuries), he can cause turnovers (14 career interceptions), he has the right mindset (wanted to sign a short term deal to prove his value).

So, now we must worry about how Jones and Demps can replace Dawkins. Will McDermott have to call less blitzes? Can he use these guys in remotely the same way Dawkins was used? Will the Eagles give up more big plays? Will they have to anticipate that?

While Jones was a strong safety in Cleveland, it shouldn’t be that hard to make the adjustment to free safety. So, the Eagles could be looking at a solid player on their hands. The question is can they use him correctly, and if all goes well, will he sign a long term deal here?

That question, on top of the others asked, all remain to be seen.

 

Hello Denver, Meet Kyle Orton

The following is a fictitious interview with Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton. The list of questions are what I would ask if granted an interview. The answers to the questions are for entertainment purposes only.  I did try to answer them as I thought he might, if he were being honest and not giving the company line.

 

 

Q:  Hello, Kyle, how do you like Denver so far?

 

A:  I like Denver a lot.  It is a fun city.

 

 

Q:  Are you excited about the opportunity to start for the Broncos?

 

A:  Yeah, it’s going to be a good competition with Chris, but I think I will win the    

      starting job.

 

 

Q:  What would you say to Broncos fans that are down on the team for trading Jay   

      Cutler?

 

A:  I would say hold your opinions until you see what I can do in this offense.

 

 

Q:  You have never played an entire 16 game season.  Do you think you can perform at a high level for an entire season?

 

A:  I have played in 15 games my rookie season and last season.  I am sure I can play at a high level though an entire season.  I have improved my quarterback rating and

touchdown-to-interception ratio each season.

 

 

Q:  How did you feel when you heard about the trade?

 

A:  I was a little pissed off, to be honest with you.  I put a lot of hard work in trying to prove to Coach Smith I could be the man in Chicago, and then it felt like they gave up

on me.

 

 

Q:  You had three seasons to prove yourself.  How much longer did you want?

 

A:  I think I did prove myself.  I have a good record in games that I have played (21-12). 

I know it is better than Cutler’s win-lose record. They just never had the confidence

in me.

 

 

Q:  Do you think you can run McDaniels’ system at a high level?

 

A:  Well, if I can’t, I should quit now. This will be a quarterback-friendly offense. I can’t

wait to start running it.

 

 

Q:  Other than the Chargers, this division is pretty open. Do you think the Broncos can

win the AFC West?

 

A:  It will be tough. The Chargers are a good team, and the Chiefs are getting better. I

know we will give it all we have and see where it comes out at the end. I’m not really

into making predictions like that.

 

 

Q:  This was a good offense last year.  Can you make it better?

 

A:  We will be better.  McDaniels has brought in a good system.  I will make this prediction, we sill score a lot of points.

 

 

Q:  Broncos fans have been used to quarterbacks making plays when things breakdown. 

Do you have that ability?

 

A:  I’m not the most athletic quarterback in the league, but I’m not a statue either.  I can make plays more with my intelligence. Peyton Manning isn’t real mobile, but he can

still make plays better than anyone in the league.

 

 

Q:  You think you can be on the level of Peyton Manning?

 

A:  Look, I have confidence in my ability; I think anyone at this level does. Peyton is the best in the league in my opinion.  So, no, I am not on that level.

 

 

Q:  No one is expecting you to be Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but can you be as

efficient as Matt Castle was last season?

 

A:  Oh yeah, that is what this season will be all about, being efficient.

 

 

Q:  Kyle, thank you for your time.  I have one last question. As a die hard Broncos fan, I

hope for the best but fear the worst.  Are my fears misguided?

 

A:  No, I don’t think so.  It’s a fear of the unknown.  For the first time in Denver, there is so much that is unknown with a young rookie head coach, a new quarterback that  

Broncos fans know nothing about, and a rookie running back. Then there is an entirely

new defense.  I understand the fear.

Remembering the 1998 Atlanta Falcons

The photo shows a team in disgust. For most Falcon fans, that is not what we remember.

It’s hard to believe it has been 11 years since the Falcons last made a run through the playoffs and to the Super Bowl.

“Since” may be the wrong word to use. “Only” would be the word that could be used here. But only was enough for just one season for all Falcon fans to believe.

Jamal Anderson was taking over the full-time load that Craig Heyward had fulfilled. Chris Chandler was signed from Houston to be the starting quarterback. Tony Martin was brought in as an extra target to go alongside Terrance Mathis.

Ray Buchanan was the standout cornerback. Jessie Tuggle had been a Falcon for life and manned the defense overall. Eugene Robinson brought veteran leadership to the secondary (until the night before the Super Bowl).

The Falcons had a lot to build on, but no one saw their 1998 run through the NFC coming.

You can thank Denver and Minnesota for that.

It had appeared destined that the Vikings and Broncos would meet in the Super Bowl. Randy Moss had emerged in Minnesota and Randall Cunningham was better than ever. Minnesota and Denver controlled all of the playoff talk through the regular season.

Meanwhile, Atlanta flew under the radar. I find it hard to believe that a team can go 14-2 and go unnoticed, but Atlanta pretty much did.

Atlanta got off to a fast 2-0 start before going on the road against San Francisco. Nothing seemed to go right for the Falcons on that day, and the Niners walked away with the victory.

Something in that loss woke the Falcons up.

They won their next three games to get to 5-1, before losing to the Jets. They would not lose again until the Super Bowl.

The most memorable win for me that season had to be a week in New England where Atlanta beat the Patriots 41-10. It was at that moment that I realized how good Jamal Anderson was and that the Falcons were no joke.

Dirty Bird Fever had taken over.

The Falcons avenged an earlier loss to San Francisco during the regular season to tie the season series at 1-1. The matchup was set for the division round of the playoffs. San Francisco at Atlanta.

As a 15-year-old kid addicted to sports, I was in heaven. I had never felt this feeling before.

Every single season I had to deal with all of my friends bragging about how good their Cowboys were, or how good the 49ers were, or how good the Broncos were.

It was finally my turn. I didn’t know how to react. I was used to home games being blacked out. I have lived in Georgia all my life, and if games don’t sell out in the NFL, the home market gets blacked out.

At that time, I didn’t understand the blackout rule, so I just assumed since it was a home game that I would have to catch the highlights. I’m glad that it did not result to that.

The rest is history. The Falcons found a way in the final seconds to squeak by San Francisco 20-18 and advance to the next round against Minnesota, thanks to Terrance Mathis’ HUGE touchdown catch against the 49ers.

The close win might’ve done even more to help Atlanta go unnoticed. The Vikings had all but reserved their plane tickets to Miami. The champagne was on ice in the Metrodome and all that was left to do was pop the cork.

But, as the old saying goes, “That’s why we play the game”.

The first half looked hopeless. The Vikings had a double-digit lead in the second half. It would take a miracle for Atlanta to get back in it.

A drive at the end of the third quarter or the beginning of the fourth (I can’t remember the exact time) was saved on a few crucial third down conversions until Atlanta finally reached the red zone.

Chandler threw a pass into the end zone between double coverage and hit Mathis on one knee. Touchdown Falcons. They made it a one-possession game.

Later in the game, Gary Anderson missed a field goal that would’ve made it a two possession game. He had not missed a kick all year. There goes the miracle I was hoping for.

But where there is a will, there is a way. The Falcons managed to tie the game and sent it into overtime. Unfortunately, Minnesota would touch the ball.

The biggest play of the entire season had to be on an incomplete pass. Cunningham dropped back in the pocket and flung the ball at least 50 yards down the field to Randy Moss on a 9-route (straight down the field).

Eugene Robinson was the safety coming over the top to help the corner. Buchanan had been beaten bad on the play by Moss so it was up to Robinson.

At the very last second, he leaped when Moss leaped and got a fingertip on the ball and knocked it down. Instead of a first down in field goal range, the Vikings had to punt.

It was at that moment that my heart began to race. My palms started to sweat. I had to turn the TV off and leave the room and return every 20 seconds or so because I just couldn’t bare to watch in between commercials.

Jeff Hullinger’s words still ring in my ear to this day from the radio broadcast:

“The kick is up. He knows it. They know it. And The Falcons are going to the Super Bowl!”

Words cannot begin to describe how good of a feeling that is. I mean, sure, I’m not the towel boy. I didn’t sit through all of the practices or study the films. But, I was with them. I gave them every Sunday and in return they tried to give me viewing pleasure.

Of course, all dreams must come to an end. One prostitute later for Eugene Robinson the night before a Super Bowl and all momentum was gone. Atlanta moved the ball on Denver okay, but choked every time they got near the red zone.

The only highlight for Atlanta in that Super Bowl was Tim Dwight returning a kickoff for a touchdown.

But that Falcons team will never be forgotten by Falcons fans who watched. They took us on a ride we hope to go on again someday, but it was needed more than ever around that moment.

Michael Vick’s Road to Redemption Starts Now

Here in the thick of the NFL offseason, there have been many questions for fans to ponder as training camps quickly approach.

 

From determining Tom Brady’s health and Peyton Manning’s upcoming commercial count to trying to figure out just exactly what Mark Sanchez was thinking when he modeled for that GQ photo shoot, arguably the biggest story in the league revolves around a guy who hasn’t even played in two years.

 

Yep, cover your dog’s ears—it’s time to talk about Michael Vick.

 

The next chapter in Vick’s roller-coaster (or maybe skydiving? It’s only going down) story began this past week as he moved from prison to home confinement for the next two months. Between now and the start of the season in September, Vick will become a free man, meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and ultimately find out just how forgiving the NFL—and America, for that matter—is towards him.

 

Looking ahead, one can only play the guessing game of how Vick’s next few crucial months will unfold.

 

Apparently, Vick is moving forward with hopes that he’ll be back in the league this fall. Reports have come out that he’s hired a personal trainer to get back in football shape, and the great former coach Tony Dungy has been talking with Vick to help polish him up emotionally/mentally before the pinnacle meeting with Goodell.

 

Obviously, it looks like Vick will do everything he can to get himself back in the league. But the question remains: Will that be enough?

 

Even if/when Goodell reinstates Vick, he’ll immediately be looking for a new team. After all the heartbreak he caused in Atlanta and last season’s emergence of Matt Ryan, the Falcons will try and get rid of him quicker than Adrian Peterson’s 40 time.

 

And even if Vick was picked up by another team, it would be a long climb back to the top. The league has changed since Vick last played in 2006.

 

Since then, offenses have become quite a bit more pass-happy. Teams averaged 65.9 percent of their pass attempts came from plays involving three or more wide receivers back in ’06.

 

That percentage has been climbing since Vick left; last year it was up to 70.9 percent. For a guy who’s completion percentage has not only always been poor (a 53.8 career average), but also decreasing since the 2004 season, that doesn’t bode well at all.

 

But what set Vick apart from the rest, of course, was his ability to run the ball. He led all quarterbacks by a landslide with 1,039 rushing yards in ’06.

 

While Vick is only 28 and therefore most likely still capable of being very mobile, the last time I checked quarterbacks are still expected to throw the ball. Vick’s legs have always been an added bonus, but might be his greatest asset if his passing skills continue to decrease. And that doesn’t look good for him either.

 

Oh, and you think any team wants all the negative media attention on top of it all? That’s like putting a rotten cherry on top of an already crappy ice cream cone.

 

With all of that said, it’s not like Vick can’t make it back. He knows how difficult it will be and, frankly, his ridiculous athletic ability is what made him one of the most feared quarterbacks in the NFL in the first place.

 

So, if Vick did overcome everything and made it back with a team, a guy with that much talent simply cannot be counted out.

 

But there’s a whole other beast Vick must face as well—one that does not pertain to anything on the field, yet is just as vital to the comeback: his reputation. Vick has faced some of the harshest public scrutiny any athlete has ever had to face—and rightfully so.

 

If he made it back, though, would fans give him a second chance at all?

 

Surprisingly, they just might. In a series of polls released by ESPN.com this past week, not only did 78 percent of voters think that will start again at quarterback, but 57 percent of in another poll admitted that they’d like their favorite team to sign Vick.

 

Talk about some redemption there!

 

And if you ask me, why not give the guy a second chance?

 

What Vick did was despicable and downright disturbing. But like anybody who commits a crime, he’s served his time and therefore deserves a chance to re-invent himself. While fans probably have an issue with Vick going back to making millions after only two years in prison, it should be kept in mind that he’s already lost plenty of that cash.

 

Others have arguably done worse, too, and are still playing.

 

Look at Rams defensive end Leonard Little. He decided to get behind the wheel after drinking all night, crashed into a car and killed the driver. Regardless of how you look at it, he, like Vick, made a horribly poor decision—one that will remain with him the rest of his life. And he still plays today.

 

Don’t even get started on looking at other sports too. While Vick tarnished his reputation, at least he didn’t at all affect the game itself.

 

In the Major Leagues, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez, the two best hitters outside of Albert Pujols, have been found guilty of steroids this season. They deliberately cheated to get ahead in their profession, and they can both continue to play. (Well, Ramirez will after that 50 game suspension. Seems like a little better punishment than prison though.)

 

The point is, Vick has served time and will continue to pay for his actions.

 

Outside of everything he’ll have to do just to get re-instated and picked up by a team, Vick will need to prove all over again that he can be an affective player in the NFL.

 

Despite the odds stacked against him and his reputation all but ruined, it all comes down to Vick’s talent or possibly former talent, as we have yet to see.

 

You heard it here—that’ll be the reason he gets a second shot in the NFL. Once he’s back, though, it’s anyone’s guess as to what will happen next.

 

Indeed, the next few months will be a very telling time for the fallen star. Until then, though, Vick’s situation is no better than Shia Labeouf’s in the strange romantic/horror “Disturbia.”

 

Except that Vick doesn’t have that hot girl from the movie next door to keep him company, of course.

 

 

 

 

One More Season For Buffalo Bills Coaching Staff

The Buffalo Bills coaching staff is under alot of pressure to produce this season.  Speculation was that owner Ralph Wilson Jr. wanted to fire Jauron after the season, however a secret contract given to Jauron during there 5-1 run prevented him. 

It seems they would have had to pay too large a settlement to get out of his contract, and therefore has pretty much placed an ultimatum of playoffs or bust.

Jauron’s stint in Buffalo has been somewhat successful, however late season collapses have caused three straight 7-9 seasons. 

Many fans point to his stints in Chicago and Detroit as failures as well. Jauron did have one great season in Chicago with a 13-3 record winning coach of the year. 

However his other in his four other seasons he was a combined 22-42 which is pretty abysmal. This led to his termination, and two years later his successor Lovie Smith led them to the Super Bowl. 

Jauron followed this by becoming defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, and then intern head coach once Mariucci was fired. He went 1-4 in the interim and was not considered for the position the next offseason. 

The Bills then went out and brought Jauron in to be the head coach. Many Bills fans point to the fact that he has had only one winning season as fact that he is not the right person to lead this team. 

Another complaint is his lack of emotion and horrid play calling in tough situations.

Jauron is a players coach who hardly ever shows emotion or yells at players. In this writers opinion that is fine when coaching a veteran team, however the Bills are a young team with a majority of players still on their rookie contracts. 

Younger players need that coach who is going to light a fire under them such as a Bill Cowher or Bill Parcells. 

The second complaint is his fumbling of play calls in opportune situations. One example is being in field goal range against the Patriots with 30 seconds left before the half. The Bills ran one more run play to get closer and then would spike the ball to try the attempt. 

However, Jauron did not manage it properly and time expired. 

There are many more big time decisions such as the J.P. Losman pass play call on 3rd down with a minute left and a lead. Losman ended up fumbling the ball creating a touchdown and a loss for the Bills. 

Many were shocked that a run play wasn’t called to run more time off the clock and then let All-Pro punter Brian Moorman give it a boot.

It was plays such as this that led many Bills fans to call for Jauron’s firing.  If this season is similar to those of the past look for the Bills to go in another direction heading into next season.

Turk Schonert is the Offensive Coordinator, who many believe has made some of these poor decisions. Some say Jauron publicly takes the blame whereas Schonert is the one whose shoulders it belongs upon. 

Schonert was previously the QB coach and had never called plays before. His style is wide open, so the addition of T.O. and maturity of Trent Edwards could allow for him to be successful this season.

On the Defensive side of the ball D. Coordinator Perry Fewell runs the Cover 2 or Tampa 2.  This is the defense that he ran in Chicago with much success that relies upon quick players who are usually undersized. 

In this style the safeties are more of ballhawks whereas the corner-backs play alot of zone coverage. 

The Linebackers must be sideline to sideline guys who can also cover. They are usually much smaller than traditional 4-3 or 3-4 linebackers who rely mainly on speed. The defensive front line is all about getting disruption through pressure. 

They like quick defensive ends who can really put pressure upon the QB, with the defensive tackles as quick twitch perpetrators. This defense works when you have the correct players such as the Super Bowl Champ Bucs and Colts and great Bears defense, however the Bills have been lacking in this talent. 

I too believe that this could be Fewell’s last season as well if the Bills do not improve and make the playoffs. 

The last coach we will speak about is Bobby April the special teams coach.  He has been by far the most successful coach the Bills have. Our return units are top three every year under his tenure. 

Our field goal kicking is solid especially in the swirling winds of Buffalo, and our Punting is as good as it gets with Brian Moorman. April has been great, and the special teams has kept this team in many games throughout his tenure.

This upcoming season is a big one for the Bills coaching staff, and if they do not reach the playoffs it looks it could be getting a make over next season.

Giants-Eagles: A Rivalry Heightened This Past Decade

For two teams who have been in existence since the 1930s, share a parkway, and play each other twice every year, it’s hard to imagine any way that a rivalry could grow.  But that’s just what’s happened in the first decade of the new millennium.

 

Sure, there have been memorable games. Whenever the teams play in Giants Stadium, the broadcast flashes back to the miracle at the Meadowlands game in which the Giants were unable to sit on the ball for a victory and literally gave the game away.

 

There was the wild card game in 1981 in which the Giants upset Philadelphia, ending their bid to repeat as conference champions.

 

But as the ’90s rolled around, the intensity seemed to lose its luster.  The reason for that is simple.  In that decade, it was pretty much non-existent for the teams to be competing for any type of postseason success against each other.  Whenever one team was doing well the other was fighting just to avoid last place.

 

In fact, other than splitting during the Giants championship season of 1990, every season ended with one team sweeping the other.  The Eagles did it in ’91 and ’92, and the Giants returned the favor in ’93 and ’94.

 

The Eagles continued the two-year trend by sweeping in ’95 and ’96, while the Giants ended the decade by sweeping the last three years.

 

During the decade, the Giants made the playoffs in 1990, ’93, and ’97, while the Eagles qualified in 1990, ’92, ’95, and ’96. None of those seasons featured a postseason matchup or even especially memorable game. 

 

All that changed the first year of the third millennium. After sweeping the Eagles during the season, the Giants beat the Eagles in the playoffs on their way to the NFC Championship.

 

The very next year, the Eagles dethroned the Giants as division champs by knocking them out of the playoffs in Philly the next to last week of the season in which the Giants almost succeeded with a last second set of laterals that ultimately fell short.

 

Going into the last week of the 2002 season, the Eagles had already secured the division and a bye while the Giants needed a win to get a wild card spot. In an overtime thriller, the Giants won on a field goal to take the game 10-7.

 

In 2003, the Eagles dropped their first two games in their brand new stadium and many had written them off. Both teams entered the season at 2-3 and the Giants looked to have the game put away with a 10-7 lead as they punted the ball to Brian Westbrook, who turned the game around and the Eagles season with a touchdown return. 

 

The Eagles would go on to win their next nine games on their way to their third consecutive championship game appearance, while the Giants would stumble to a 4-12 last place finish.

 

After trading sweeps in ’04 and ’05, the Giants entered Lincoln Financial Field in the second week of the season and endured a first half clobbering by the score of 24-7.

 

In what changed the Giants season, Eli Manning led a comeback to tie the game and send it to overtime, where he would connect with Plaxico Burress on a game winning touchdown pass.

 

However, the Eagles would gain revenge in the playoffs of that year with a 23-20 wild card victory.

 

Both teams started 0-2 the next season, but gained significant wins in week three. The Giants mounted a second-half comeback in Washington, while the Eagles slaughtered the Lions 56-21.

 

The Giants’ defense had given up 97 points the first three weeks and was seen as a weakness. However, the defense solidified itself that night with a 16-3 victory in which they sacked Donovan McNabb a league-tying 12 times.

 

The next season though, the Eagles stole the show from the defending Super Bowl champions by becoming the first team to win twice in Giants Stadium in one season, the second of course being a playoff game in which the Giants didn’t even look like they woke up that morning.

 

So what kind of games will we witness this season?  Will it be one team dominating the other like in the ‘90s, or will be see some more classic finishes and season changing performances of this past decade?  One thing’s for sure.  Both teams’ fans will still hate each other no matter who wins by how many points how many times.

Beyond Matty Ice and the Burner: Five Guys Who Must Step Up for the 2009 Falcons

Everyone knows that guys like Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and John Abraham are the key cogs that make the Falcons machine go, but there are a few guys who aren’t superstars that could make the difference between playing in January or fishing in January. For the sake of this article, we’re sticking with veteran players only. While some rookies will be counted on to play big snaps, those guys get a one year benefit of the doubt.

The 2009 Atlanta Falcons Coaching Staff

Thomas Dimitroff began to implement his long term plan for the Falcons last season. He hired Mike Smith to lead Atlanta and put an experienced staff behind him.

Atlanta improved from 2007 to 2008 in almost every statistical category. The memories of a 4-12 season have all but been removed from Falcons’ fans memory.

The Falcons have the talent (at least on offense) to compete with anyone in the NFL. The key will be how the staff is able to translate their game plan to the players so that it can be executed properly.

Mike Mularkey is the offensive coordinator. He called plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2001-2003, and was the offensive coordinator for the Dolphins in 2006. In between that time, he served two years as the head coach for the Buffalo Bills in 2004 and 2005.

Mularkey has a reputation for being an offensive minded coach who specializes in trick plays and packages, so the offensive coordinator role is perfect for him.

He earned the nickname “Inspector Gadget” in Pittsburgh for his ability to come up with creative ways to involve Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El in the Pittsburgh offense.

In order for the Falcons to have the most success, Mularkey must build the offense around the running game. Michael Turner has to be the focal point of what the Falcons do. In Pittsburgh, Mularkey relied on Jerome Bettis. Turner can fit that role and maybe do it better.

The Falcons won’t need as many trick plays from wide receivers because they simply don’t players who are equipped to make some of those trick plays that Randle El and Ward did.

Brian VanGorder will be calling the defense. He comes from Jacksonville, where he has some experience with Mike Smith. VanGorder also has head coaching experience at Georgia Southern. He joined the Falcons in 2007 under Petrino’s staff, but improved dramatically at the NFL level under Smith’s direction.

He coordinated the University of Georgia defense that won the Sugar Bowl. In that year of 2003, Georgia had the third ranked defense nationally, and VanGorder was awarded the NCAA Assistant Coach Of The Year.

Emmitt Thomas will be in charge of the defensive backs. A lot of Falcons’ fans may remember Thomas as the guy who filled in once Bobby Petrino decided to leave for greener pastures (or pig slop, if that’s what you want to call it).

With Atlanta’s young secondary, Thomas’ role for the Falcons may be the most important. His wisdom and experience could go a long way in developing the Falcons’ young talent and turning them into solid players.

Thomas played twelve seasons as a defensive back for the Kansas City Chiefs and made the pro bowl. He has coached in the NFL since 1981. He joined the Falcons in 2002 and remains the only coach from the previous staff, other than VanGorder.

Terry Robiskie is the receivers coach. He had a short stint as the interim head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2004 and with the Washington Redskins in 2000. He is the father of rookie wide receiver Brian Robiskie from Ohio State University.

Robiskie will be asked to work with Roddy White to lower the number of dropped passes he has, along with getting Michael Jenkins more involved in the offense.

Paul Boudreau is in charge of the offensive line. Last season, he helped direct an offensive line that was night and day better than it was in 2007. The key this season will be continuing to open up holes for Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood and protecting Matt Ryan.

Boudreau joined the Falcons’ staff last season after spending two years with the St. Louis Rams. Before that, he spend three years in Jacksonville. He has also spent time with the Miami Dolphins and the Carolina Panthers.

Ray Hamilton is the defensive line coach. John Abraham does not need direction, but a lot of the other young players on the defensive line will. Grady Jackson and Rod Coleman are no longer there to plug up the middle. It will be up to Hamilton to develop players like Jamaal Anderson and Chauncey Davis to make up for the talent lost.

Hamilton has spent time in with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets, The New England Patriots, the Los Angeles (Oakland) Raiders, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Bill Musgrave is the quarterback coach. Again, he is a coach who spent time with Mike Smith in Jacksonville. He has also spent time with the Washington Redskins, the Carolina Panthers, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Oakland Raiders.

Musgrave will just help continue the development of Matt Ryan. Ryan should be able to avoid the “sophomore slump”, but Musgrave at least has knowledge and experience to help guide him along if he needs it.

Glenn Pires is the linebackers coach. This will be another crucial position for the Falcons in 2009. Keith Brooking and Michael Boley are gone from the mix. Mike Peterson has come in from Jacksonville to anchor the linebacking corps.

Pires has experience with the Miami Dolphins from 2003-2007. He has also coached for the Detroit Lions and the Arizona Cardinals.

As you can see, a majority of the Falcons coaching staff have worked with Mike Smith before. When choosing the staff, Atlanta chose to go with what’s familiar to the coach and build the core around the philosophy rather than use players to create a philosophy.

Here’s to 2009 and hoping for nothing but great things from the Atlanta Falcons.

Redskins’ Jason Campbell: Unwanted, but Still the QB

NFL quarterbacks are always on the hot seat.

They are the most visible position on the field. Coaches analyze how they can get more from their signal caller. Rabid fans, most of whom could not throw anything resembling a tight spiral 10 yards in the stadium parking lot, endlessly debate their local field-general on sports talk radio or with their friends as they pop another beer.

And in the case of the Washington Redskins, owner Dan Snyder this offseason jumped into the debate over his quarterback, Jason Campbell, not publicly, of course, because that is not the way he does things.

But jump he did, effectively trying any way he could to dump Campbell.

First, he tried mightily to cut a deal with the Denver Broncos to nab disgruntled Denver QB Jay Cutler. Oddly, both Cutler and Campbell threw seven more touchdowns than interceptions last season, but it can’t be argued that most fans, and probably coaches and owners, too, would take Cutler’s 25-to-18 split over Campbell’s 13-to-6.

In the end, Denver opted to trade Cutler to the Chicago Bears.

But Snyder wasn’t done with trying to find a way to not have to watch Campbell play quarterback this fall—at least not for the Redskins.

As the April NFL draft approached, Snyder was again star struck, this time with USC’s wunderkind quarterback, the bilingual Mark Sanchez, who was leaving the Trojans for NFL riches a year early, against the advice of his coach, Pete Carroll.

The photogenic Sanchez, with his gaudy college record and his media presence, enticed Snyder once again. Never mind that rookie quarterbacks very seldom do much their first year in the NFL.  

Snyder dined with Sanchez before the draft and, by all local media accounts, the Redskins tried to figure out a way they could move way up in the draft to grab Sanchez or trade Campbell for draft picks to do so.

But once again, it did not happen and the New York Jets happily moved up in a draft day trade to get Sanchez. Now, as long as he throws a lot more TDs than interceptions, he will be the darling of the green-clad fans shouting “Jets, Jets, Jets!”

And now, for better or worse, like the death throes of a rocky marriage, Snyder is stuck with Campbell for another year.

What to make of it all? No one really knows.

Ultimately, only one thing matters for Campbell: Getting to the playoffs. The Redskins did not do that last season, falling off the cliff after a very nice 6-2 first half of the 2008 campaign to finish a very disappointing 2-6 and 8-8 overall.

And lots of fans blamed Campbell because that is what fans do. But obviously Snyder must have felt the same way, even though a leaky offensive line certainly played a role in the Redskins’ second-half performance.

Snyder hasn’t said anything publicly about his quarterback, but has met with Campbell to try to smooth the hard feelings.

As for Campbell? In the best tradition of a State Department diplomat, he politely has rebuffed his critics. As the Sanchez Draft Day rumors swirled, behind the scenes he reportedly said he would demand a trade if the Redskins picked a quarterback.

But for public consumption, he also said, “I know in my heart I’m a good quarterback, and I’m trying my best every day to become a great quarterback for my coaches and my teammates. I’m trying to do everything I need to do to lead my team week in and week out, to just help us win, and that’s really my focus. But, yeah, you know what’s out there.”

Notice how he said he was trying to become a good quarterback “for my coaches and my teammates.”

There wasn’t any mention of Snyder or his right-hand man, Vinny Cerrato, Washington’s executive vice president of football operations, was there?

And coach Jim Zorn, a former Seattle Seahawk quarterback, has been supportive of Campbell. At this point, he doesn’t have much choice. Campbell is the best quarterback on the Redskins roster.

In various ways, Zorn has said he supports Campbell and is doing his best to help him improve in his fifth NFL season. More support on the offensive line—such as the reacquisition of one-time Redskin guard Derrick Dockery—could help.

As Campbell said at one point in this winter-long saga, Zorn reaffirmed his commitment to him and said they were “in it together.”

But whatever the turmoil and hard feelings of the offseason, everyone in Washington knows one thing with certainty: The Redskins have to get to the playoffs this season or Campbell and his No. 17 burgundy and gold jersey almost certainly will not be seen on FedEx Field in 2010. 

 

 

Predicting the New York Jets’ 53-Man Roster: Offense

This is the last of three articles that will break down my predictions for the Jets 53-man roster

To view the Special Teams/Practice Squad – Click Here

To view the Defense – Click Here

 

Quarterback – Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge

The two obvious ones here are going to be Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens. Both will compete for the starting job and the loser will be the backup. Sanchez has reportedly had some very good days and some average days, but will quickly adjust to the offense.

He has impressed the team, media and fans by his professional attitude and the way he conducts himself despite being under such pressure of being the franchise quarterback of a team that hasn’t seen the Super Bowl in over 40 years.

It is up in the air on who is actually going to win the starting job, though head coach Rex Ryan has gone on record saying that he was one of the only coaches on the Baltimore Ravens in support of Joe Flacco as the starter in his rookie season last year. It shows that he would not be afraid to throw Sanchez right into the fire in week one.

On the other hand, you also have another quarterback battle going on behind those two. 2008 fifth-round pick Erik Ainge is competing with 2009 undrafted rookie free agent Chris Pizzotti. At this point, I would say Ainge has the upper hand, but Pizzotti is not far behind. Ainge will and should win this battle.

 

Running back – Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, Shonn Greene

The talk of the offseason beyond Mark Sanchez has been the contract holdouts of running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. It has been stated by agent Drew Rosenhaus that Jones will report to mandatory camp this week.

The Jets reportedly won’t budge on the contract. He is due to make $900,000 this year after receiving $13 million of the $20 million, four-year deal he signed back in 2007 during the first two seasons.

Washington seems to be the hardest one to overcome at this point. His contractual stance keeps him from putting on a practice jersey and he is hell bent on getting a new contract. The Jets are weary because of the uncertainty with the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Players Association and Owners.

This one could last well into the summer, but in the end, the Jets will reach an agreement with arguably their best player on the field.

2009 third-round pick Shonn Greene will fill the role as the Jets third running back this year. The coaching staff reportedly loved him so much that they chose to hand over the bulk of their second day draft picks to move up to grab him in the top of the third-round.

Greene will be there for the Jets in the tail end of games when they need him. His fresh legs in the fourth quarter could tear apart an opposing defense. This coincides with Rex Ryan’s willingness to pound the ball on the ground this year.

Fullback – Tony Richardson

Tony Richardson is the ultimate professional and is just as much responsible for Thomas Jones’ career season and Pro Bowl appearance last year as the offensive line was.

Richardson has played the blocking fullback role for many running backs who have surpassed 1,000 or more yards in a season on the ground including Priest Holmes three times (2001, 2002, 2003), Larry Johnson (2005), Chester Taylor (2006), Adrian Peterson (2007), and Thomas Jones (2008).

Wide Receiver – Jerricho Cotchery, David Clowney, Chansi Stuckey, Brad Smith, Wallace Wright

Perhaps, the weakest of all positions. The Jets have been lacking a proven wide receiver to start opposite Jerricho Cotchery since Laveranues Coles left to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals, but with that, opens up a new opportunity for a variety of young wide receivers with talent to prove themselves worthy of the void.

David Clowney and Brad Smith appear likely to compete with each other this summer to start outside opposite Cotchery. Clowney brings a 4.37 40-time to the table and gives the Jets a nice deep threat, while Brad Smith gives the Jets the experience that none of the other competitors carries.

In the end, I see the Jets going forward with Clowney, who the new coaching staff has seemed very high on since their arrival.

The Jets spent their seventh-round pick in 2007 on a Clemson wide receiver named Chansi Stuckey. A foot injury in his senior season would drop his draft stock from a mid-round pick to almost out of the draft completely. Never the less, the Jets took the risk and grabbed him with the 235th overall pick.

He put up promising numbers in his first preseason, only to be hampered by a broken foot that would put him out for the season. He returned in 2008 and started at three games for the Jets.

In each of the first three games of last season, Stuckey caught a touchdown pass from Brett Favre. He finished out the season with 32 catches for 359 yards and three touchdowns.

Stuckey has all the makings to be a great third-down, slot receiver that the Jets haven’t truly had since Wayne Chrebet. If he can pull off that role, he will be a huge security blanket for the quarterback in crucial parts of games during the 2009 season.

Wallace Wright rounds out the wide receiver list. Reason? He is a special teams ace. When you watch a Jets game every week, it’s hard to go a game without hearing Wright’s name called as making a special teams tackle or two. For that reason alone, he will return.

 

Tight End – Dustin Keller, Bubba Franks, Jack Simmons

Did I say wide receiver was the weakest part of the Jets roster? Check that. It could be tight end. The only difference is that the Jets have a superstar in the making at tight end, and he’s really the only one on the roster of any significance. The Jets really lack depth at this position at this point.

Keller came on strong and had an excellent rookie campaign in 2008, recording 48 receptions for 535 yards with three touchdowns. He has really brought a pass-catching credibility back to the Jets and it made Chris Baker expendable in that part.

However, Keller is not a great blocker and in addition to depth, that is what the Jets lack at the position. The Jets brought back veteran tight end Bubba Franks to possibly assume the role as a blocking tight end and Rex Ryan is also very high on Jack Simmons, who may make the team as a third tight end.

 

Offensive Tackle – D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Damien Woody, Wayne Hunter, Mike Kracalik

The Jets head into the 2009 season with good depth on the offensive line for the first time in awhile. I can’t ever really say the Jets had great depth up front on offense during Eric Mangini’s tenure as head coach.

D’Brickashaw Ferguson heads in to his fourth season as the Jets starting left tackle. While he has hit a few bumps in the road, he has truly come into his own and with the guidance of a future Hall of Fame guard to his right in Alan Faneca, Ferguson is making life easy when it comes to protecting the Jets quarterbacks on their blind side.

Damien Woody begins the second-year of a five-year, $25 million deal that the Jets gave him last offseason. The Jets haven’t really had a good player at right tackle since Kareem McKenzie left to join the Giants. Woody never played the tackle position on a regular basis until this past season and made the switch very well.

Wayne Hunter has reportedly caught the eye of the coaching staff and the expect good things from him as a backup tackle.

The former third-round pick by the Seahawks in 2003 spent three seasons in Seattle and one in Jacksonville before joining the Gang Green for the 2008 campaign.

The best news of all is that Hunter saw no action as a starter in 2008.

Mike Kracalik was originally signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2005, however, he found no place on the team’s 53-man roster and joined the Baltimore Ravens.

He spent four seasons with the Ravens before returning to the Jets this offseason and is joining ex-Raven personnel Rex Ryan, Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard and Marques Douglas in New York. Standing at 6’8″, and weighing in at 337 pounds, Kracalik is a load and gives the Jets a nice big body up front behind the starters.

 

Offensive Guard – Alan Faneca, Brandon Moore, Matt Slauson

Alan Faneca became the richest offensive lineman in NFL history for two months, until Jake Long came along and took that distinction away from him. Faneca did nothing but great things for the Jets in his first year.

Whether it be continuing to do what he does best in run blocking or mentoring third-year players D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold to his left and right on the offensive line, Faneca’s addition made the Jets offense just that much better.

Brandon Moore has leaped all the hurdles it took, but after signing with the Jets as an undrafted free agent defensive tackle in 2002, he has made the switch to offense to become one of the leagues better and most underrated run-blocking guards.

Moore was due a $7 million roster bonus earlier this offseason, so the Jets decided to cut him rather than pay him the bonus. However, a mere one day later, Moore re-signed with the Jets at four-years, $16 million with $10 million guaranteed.

It worked out for both sides. The Jets didn’t have a huge cap number with Moore’s old contract and under his new contract, Moore would make more money per year on average.

Matt Slauson joined the Jets this past April when it was announced that the team had taken him in the sixth-round of the NFL draft.

A huge factor and perhaps one of the main reasons why the Jets selected Slauson was because current Offensive Line coach Bill Callahan was Slauson’s head coach at Nebraska for three of his four years at college. The rookie was named to the first-team All-Big 12 by the San Antonio Express-News and Second-Team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press.

Slauson will be a key depth player and will work close by with his former head coach as he makes the transition from college to pro.

Center – Nick Mangold, Robert Turner

When asked by a Patriots fan who the league’s toughest center he ever faced was, nose tackle Vince Wilfork replied, “Nick Mangold.”

Not only does Mangold’s name fit that billing, but in a recent list ranking the top centers in the NFL, a group of former NFL scouts named Nick Mangold the No. 1 center in the NFL.

This guy is simply, hands down, one of the premier players the Jets have drafted in recent years, perhaps the best, though will be the most unnoticed. Mangold, like his first-round counterpart, Ferguson, has started every single game since his arrival in the NFL.

There is not much else you can say about him. He is clearly one of the best players this team has.

Robert Turner joined the Jets as an undrafted free agent in May of 2007. He has since been a member of the Jets and provided key depth on the offensive line.

While he started out at guard earlier in his career, he has the versatility to play center as well in the unfortunate event that Nick Mangold were to ever come down with an injury. For that, the Jets value him as a crucial player on their depth chart.

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