New Orleans Saints Will Rise to the Top in 2009

The New Orleans Saints will represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIV.

Is that direct enough?

I’ve stuck my neck out now.

I feel good about this, but I’ve placed calls to my insurance agent for life insurance just in case.  

As with every team, a few things need to come together this season for the Saints to meet my expectations—and for me to keep my head on my shoulders.

Ten wins is a must for a playoff birth this season, although I expect to see the Saints end up 11-5, and possibly 12-4.

That is asking a lot from a defense that has been horrible the past couple of seasons,  yet that is how things work in the NFL. Not much happens gradually. While there are teams that improve year-to-year and win consistently, more often than not a team’s successes evolve quickly.  

This is typically due to exceptional quarterback play, a bit of good luck, chemistry, and young talent.

The Saints’ season depends on quarterback Drew Brees. Brees needs to have yet another Pro Bowl caliber season for the Saints to taste success. Without a strong season for Brees, the Saints will be mediocre at best.

The “good luck” component is not something you can forecast, but life experience has shown me that superior preparation and a gritty, never-say-die attitude tips the odds in your favor.

Success starts at the top and head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams are tireless workers who have a lot to prove.

I am confident that they will work together, complement each other, scheme effectively, and have their team ready to play each week.

The lack of chemistry is likely the weak link in this chain, and could be the reason why the Saints falls short.

Defensive end Charles Grant must serve a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and tight end Jeremy Shockey recently needed medical assistance after partying too hard.

Neither episodes bode well for team chemistry.

Team leaders must show up and work harder than everyone else, and players like Shockey and Grant must show up and find a way to overcome their selfish instincts and play team ball with a team attitude.  

The Saints have the leaders to make this happen. Brees has shown up and is leading the way and running back Reggie Bush could emerge as a leader this year.

Full back Heath Evans is a determined newcomer who has tasted victory. He has the grit and work ethic to inspire others and will be picking up first downs by grinding out short yardage in key situations. Together, this should give him credibility in the locker room.

Chemistry is a huge factor for this Saints squad and it must evolve, starting in the off-season.

In spite of these hurdles, I believe.

I believe Payton will put it all together this year. He will have a cool head in tight situations and manage the clock well. His schemes will have his offensive talent playing like an orchestra.

Williams will have full control over the defense and he will quietly blend the right talent with the right calls, allowing an otherwise average defense to excel.

I believe Brees will stay healthy, and dish the rock fast and furiously to his hungry play makers.

I believe Bush will gallop while running back Pierre Thomas dazzles, Evans grinds, Shockey excites, and wide receiver Marques Colston and the other receivers streak.  

I believe a balanced attack will emerge this year. The Saints will be able to control the ball and win a game both the old-fashioned way, and by simply outpacing their opponents.  

The improved secondary, the new coach, and a ball control offense will produce a top ten defense.

Whether the Saints limp in to the playoffs at 10-6, or fly in at 12-4, they will make it to the title game against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

With their young talent, team chemistry, and Pro Bowl quarterback, the Saints will find a bit of luck to put them over the top and into Super Bowl XLIV.

10 Questions for the 2009 NFL Season

The NFL is full of drama. There always seems to be a storyline that is looming or waiting to be resolved–any bets on how long it will be before Brett Favre makes up his mind?

That said, I have posed some questions of my own for the coming season.

This isn’t a list and some of these questions may seem easy to answer, but to those who say that they are, I only have this to ask you—how many of you predicted the Arizona Cardinals would be in the Super Bowl last year?

Yeah, that’s kind of what I figured you might say.

You just never know what will happen to a team as a result of a trade, a release, or a coaching change.

It’s always a crap-shoot.

So, let’s dive in, shall we?

Will the Arizona Cardinals repeat the success of last year?

I don’t know that lightning can strike twice, but here’s what I do know, Arizona will still have Kurt Warner at quarterback and Larry Fitzgerald at wide receiver.

That was pretty much all they needed last year to make one very nice run in the playoffs and come within an eyelash of hoisting the Lombardi trophy over their collective heads.

However, Kurt Warner is not getting any younger–never mind that he had 4,583 passing yards and 30 touchdowns during the regular season–and, by the way, he isn’t likely to duplicate those numbers.

Never mind that he may be one of the most underrated quarterbacks of his time.

The truth of the matter is, Warner will be 38-years old by the time the new season begins and despite the playoff run of last season, Warner was 8-18 as a starter for the Cardinals prior to last season’s Cinderella run and, during that span, he often threw as many interceptions as he did touchdowns–leading to his being benched in favor of Matt Leinart on one occasion and Josh McCown on another.

Plain and simple, that Kurt Warner still could surface.

Further, the Cardinals will be looking at an improved Seattle Seahawks team and a rejuvenated San Francisco 49ers team in the NFC West–both played the Cardinals tough last year and have just as much of a shot at winning the west as the Cardinals.

If Warner can stay healthy and continue to play consistently, the Cardinals should remain the favorites, but I don’t imagine the road will be easy.

For a deeper look at the Cardinals chances of repeat success, check out this article.

 

Is Terrell Owens the missing piece of the Buffalo Bills playoff puzzle?

I am not a fan of the antics of Terrell Owens. I never have been.

However, it’s impossible to deny his impact once he’s settled in on a new team.

In his first year in Philadelphia, he helped Donovan McNabb to 3,875 yards and 31 touchdowns, on his way to leading the Eagles to a 13-2 record and a spot in the Super Bowl.

In Tony Romo’s first full season as starting quarterback, Terrell accounted for 1,355 of his 4,211 passing yards and 15 of his 36 touchdowns–the Cowboys finished with a 13-3 record.

Trent Edwards is not Romo or McNabb–yet–and he doesn’t have Brian Westbrook or Marion Barber to defer to in the run game, but Marshawn Lynch is as good as any back in the NFL when he’s focused and has looked good so far in camp.

Lynch may be absent for the first three games of the season, but I think that could prove to be Fred Jackson’s moment in the sun.

I don’t know if Owen’s will be the catalyst for a Bills playoff run, but I do know that he is an upgrade to what they already had on the field and if Trent Edwards is the truth that some people think him to be, it could be a very good year for Buffalo.

 

Will the Dallas Cowboys be better or worse now that Terrell Owens is gone?

Owens played for the Cowboys for three years and led them in receiving yards in all three of those years—Tony Romo has never been a quarterback in Dallas without Owens as his go-to receiver.

Will he fare better or worse now that Owens is no longer there to catch his passes?

I look at the roster and know that there is talent on the field but I find myself being a tad bit skeptical of Roy Williams suddenly becoming the number one guy on the field?

Is he ready for that type of responsibility? Does he even fit the bill? I mean, here’s a guy who has only had one truly successful season and it happened three-years ago.

Last season he started seven games and amassed 198-yards with one touchdown and this is the guy you are going to replace Terrell Owens with next season?

That just doesn’t seem like a promising option to me.

Perhaps Miles Austin will use this opportunity to make his move up the depth chart because, frankly, I don’t know how much production D-Town can expect out of Williams next season.

 

Will Michael Vick play this season?

There have been plenty of articles written about this already, so I don’t need to do a recap. Frankly, I feel a little bit like this guy and think the media coverage of this story has gotten ridiculously out of hand.

As a football fan, I can understand a teams desire to have an athlete as versatile as Vick, but as an individual the thought of him returning to the game gives me some alarm.

Sure, he has done his time, but you have to admit the guy is a public relations nightmare in waiting—this article in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution said it best—Vick is going to be a polarizing figure no matter where he lands.

I pity his teammates because, no matter what they do, his presence will overshadow their play.

 

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers repeat?

Don’t tell me how hard it is to repeat as an NFL Champion. It’s been done before and can be done again.

First of all, the Steelers seem to have one of the easier schedules of the 2009 season—significantly less imposing than last years.

They only lost one key player from that ridiculously good defense of last season and I doubt they will have any trouble replacing him.

Further, they retained all of their important offensive players including, Super Bowl hero, Santonio Holmes.

Does all this point to them making a return trip to the Super Bowl and hoisting yet another Lombardi trophy?

It seems like that would be the case but here’s the problem, there was no New England in the playoffs last season—Tom Brady is back this year and you have to wonder how successful the Steelers or anyone would have been if Brady had never gone down in that first game. (Nice article here, which touches on this point.)

Second, will the additions made to the offensive line serve to keep Big Ben upright more often this season? He kissed the turf far too much last year and that has me concerned about injuries cropping up should this again be the case.

Plus, there is still that whole “difficult to repeat” argument that I want to ignore but honestly cannot.

 

Will Tom Brady return to his Brady-esque ways?

The one question that is on a lot of people’s minds is how good will Brady be one year post-knee injury/surgery/rehab?

The Patriots have to be confident in his recovery because they didn’t appear to hesitate at letting Matt Cassel go.

If Brady is in fact 100 percent and ready to go, you have to feel a little uneasy if you are in the AFC because, again, it becomes the Patriots and everybody else.

However, none of us will know if Tom Brady is Tom Brady until he hits the field and takes that first NFL snap.

Many NFL fans both envy and despise the success of Brady, Belichick, and the Patriots and would like nothing more than to see Brady fail next season, but the truth of the matter is this: if he plays well, they will win games and they will be in the mix for a shot at yet another Super Bowl.

No doubt about that.

The only question is will Brady be Brady?

 

Will Matt Ryan lead Atlanta to another winning season?

The Falcons were a surprise to everyone last season. No one expected Michael Turner to run so well behind such a “bad” offensive line.

No one figured Roddy White to be such a great wide receiver.

Who could have imagined that Matt Ryan would mature so far and so fast as to lead a team, that was basically in shambles, to the playoffs in his first year?

So many surprises.

This year finds the Falcons with an improved offense, thanks in large part to the addition of Tony Gonzalez, but with a questionable defense—the Falcons lost some key guys in their defensive unit (Keith Brooking, Michael Boley, Domonique Foxworth, and Grady Jackson to name a few).

Can they continue to win or will a healthier and defensively improved New Orleans team play the part of Cinderella worst-to-first this coming season?

Further, will the addition of Tony Gonzalez really be the missing piece of the Atlanta puzzle for consistent success?

No back-to-back winning season’s in this franchise’s history? Wow. That’s a trend that’s begging to be broken, but will it be?

 

If Favre ends up staying retired, what will Minnesota do at quarterback this year?

I have not been a fan of the whole “will he or won’t he” play nonsense. I think that Favre likes being in the center of offseason drama, and that has made him less likable in my opinion.

However, if Mr. Favre stays out of the Vikings quarterback picture, what will they do?

Tarvaris Jackson has proven to be a not-so-great option, at least thus far, and I am not sure that Sage Rosenfels is starting material either.

That leaves the Vikings with unproven talent in both John David Booty and Sean Glennon—it’s no wonder they keep trying to lull Favre out of “retirement.”

The truth of the matter is this, Adrian Peterson cannot continue to be the focal point of the offense. He carried the ball 363 times last season! Say what you want, but that’s not the best way to ensure a long, healthy, career for your franchise player.

If the Vikings continue to make him the workhorse, he’s gonna burn out quick and he may not last five more years in this league.

They have to find a guy who can efficiently manage the offense.

The drafting of Percy Harvin almost guarantees them a playmaker at the wide receiver spot—they just need to find a guy to get it to him.

 

Who will be this year’s Impact/Underperformer from the 2009 NFL Draft?

It’s always nice to see who comes out as the beast of the years draft class.

Last year a few teams got their playoffs tickets punched thanks to some very nice draft additions.

The Atlanta Falcons saw Matt Ryan win Rookie of the Year honors while leading them to an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance.

The Baltimore Ravens went with Joe Flacco and all he did was quarterback them to an AFC Championship Game.

However, the Oakland Raiders saw their pick of Darren McFadden go unrewarded as he battled injury and never found his groove.

Ditto that for the Jaguars Derrick Harvey whose long hold-out and subsequent poor play has not made him a fan favorite in Jacksonville.

Who will be those guys be this year?

Will Crabtree disappoint while Heyward-Bey surprises? Is Stafford really going to be the difference-maker in Detroit?

How good will Aaron Curry be?

Questions, questions, questions.

 

Which team will be this season’s Cinderella story?

Last year, the Cardinals made a run that was unfathomable to think of at this time last year.

In 2007, no one would have thought the Giants would rebound to appear in and beat the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl.

There are always teams that seem to make a run, whether that run takes them all the way to the Super Bowl or just to the playoffs, it’s one that no one that year was likely expecting.

This season begs the question: Who will that team be?

Will it be the New Orleans Saints?

After all, they did have the best offense in football last year and will return with a healthy Marques Colston and a much-improved defense that boasts Malcolm Jenkins as its newest playmaker.

Or, will it be the Chicago Bears?

They have the most favorable schedule of any team in the NFL—their opponents winning percentage is well-below .500 and they finally have a franchise quarterback to lead the way.

Better still, maybe it will be the Cleveland Browns.

The Mad Genius, Eric Mangini, may have been a bit of joke at the NFL Draft this year but he made some nice moves and picked up some quality players this off-season.

If the Browns can get situated at the quarterback position, there’s no telling what they could do this season.

 

These are just a few of the many questions that I will be anxious to see the answers to in the 2009 season.

2009 Atlanta Falcons Look To Do Something No Falcons Team Has Done Before

Falcons fans have been through this before.

Over the years, they have hoped for another successful season after doing well the previous year, but they are disappointed the following year as the Falcons fail to take the next step. Anybody that follows the Falcons knows that they have never put back-to-back winning seasons since the franchise was established in 1966.

But this year is different. After having one of the most surprising seasons in franchise history last year, the expectations for the Falcons are higher than ever. The reason for that has to do with second-year quarterback Matt Ryan who had one of the best rookie seasons and NFL rookie quarterback can have.

Another reason is Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff having a successful 2008 season and having a great off-season to follow-up highlight by trading for tight end Tony Gonzalez.

But is has been the same story for years, so why should this be any different? The Falcons have a tougher 2009 schedule than the schedule they endured in 2008, but if they are able to stay healthy, there is no reason that they can’t have another winning season.

Here’s a look at a couple of seasons where the Falcons had a chance to put together back-to-back winning seasons, but came up short.

In 1992 the Jerry Glanville-led Falcons were getting ready for another successful season as they reached the second round of the playoffs in 1991 losing to the Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins. But after going 3-5 in their first eight games, they could never recover and finished the year 6-10.

In 1999 the Falcons were coming off a Super Bowl appearance and looked to be the favorites to win the NFC once again.

But when Jamal Anderson went down with a knee injury in the second game of the season, that was it for the birds because they had no running game and Chris Chandler could not carry the team by himself. Because of that, the Falcons finished the year with a 5-11 record.

After the 2004 season where the Falcons reached the NFC Championship game in which they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 2005 looked to be that year where they finally get that second consecutive winning season.

With three games left, Atlanta was 8-5 and needed to win at least two of the final three games to secure a playoff spot. But they lost to Chicago and Tampa Bay and got blasted by Carolina to finish the year 8-8.

Now it’s 2009 and the Falcons have something to prove to the city and the NFL that they are no longer a franchise that buckles under the pressure. They will rise above the occasion and become one of the premier teams in the NFL.

Will they go 11-5 or 12-4 this season? Probably not, but if they are able to win nine or 10 games, it’s safe to say that the Falcons are headed in the right direction.

Back to Square One? Arizona Cardinals Must Address Key Issues

There has never been such anticipation for the beginning of an Arizona Cardinals football season as there is for this upcoming 2009-2010 NFL season. 

By now everyone has heard of the remarkable run the Cardinals made last season with winning the NFC Championship and then finishing runner-up to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their first Super Bowl since, well, basically ever.

What an amazing year it was for the Cardinals, and what an even sweeter treat it was to experience as an actual fan of this franchise. Kurt Warner resurrected himself once again as the sexiest available quarterback on the roster and somehow managed to hold on to the ball long enough to throw for 4,583 yards. 

I don’t know if that last sentence really makes sense, but man, did he fumble a lot—when it mattered most—for the Cardinals before last season. But I digress. Warner was unstoppable as he coasted through an MVP-caliber season and hooked up with his receivers for 30 touchdown passes.

However, before last season began, the biggest storm brewing within the Cards training camp was who was going to be taking the snaps for the team come September.

Head coach Ken Whisenhunt went against the grain, naming Warner as his starter and leaving his trophy-boy quarterback, Matt Leinart, to grow old and more handsome on the bench. 

This year, there is no controversy at quarterback. Well, maybe a little one, as in why has a party boy like Leinart not had any risqué photos released of him beer-bonging with some coeds this offseason? Please tell me he hasn’t stopped partying?! I mean, even Reggie Bush has Kim Kardashian! 

Side note to Matt (as I am sure he is an avid reader of Bleacher Report): Dude, you are a super attractive, vastly overpaid, backup quarterback in the valley of the sun and plastic surgery—not quite like where you’re from, but still a bit of plastic surgery nonetheless—live it up a little! Again.

Hopefully the Cardinals will get through the season unscathed at quarterback as they did in 2008-2009. That is a big if, however, as it was just before last season that many scouts were questioning Warner’s abilities, as well as his durability among other things. 

He responded with a huge year. This year, the critics have been mainly silent—an eerie calm before the storm, if you ask me. 

On second thought, Clooney, I mean Matt, put that beer bong down and pick up a playbook again. This may be your year! Again! But I promise this time there is no Dennis Green around to muss it up for you. You’re not still dating that Hilton woman, are you? Good, here’s a ball.

However, Warner could stuff a fat sock in my mouth and continue his otherwise brilliant career and have another jaw-dropping performance this season overall. 

He always has been a big-time quarterback, and anyone that can successfully lead this franchise through the NFC Championship and into the Super Bowl is a HOF quarterback in my opinion. It could be worse; we could be the team awaiting Brett Favre’s “test results.”

Perhaps the biggest question mark pertaining to the 2009-2010 NFL season for the Cardinals lies within the team’s running game. 

Although there are high expectations and reason for optimism, the team rid itself of its only proven running back in the release of a future Hall of Famer, Edgerrin James, and enters the new year with essentially two unproven and untested backs.

Sure Tim Hightower, a former fifth round pick, had his opportunity to start as the featured back in seven NFL games last year for the Cards. However, he didn’t exactly turn any heads.

He did have a breakout-quality game in his first start, rushing for 109 yards on 22 carries against St. Louis, but after that he pretty much was a dud. In his other six starts he managed to gain a paltry 134 yards on 64 carries.

This will absolutely be a make or break season for his career, and there is high optimism based on some of his showings last year that he will step up to the challenge.

If not Hightower, the Cardinals did somehow manage to land a pretty high-profile first round back in this year’s draft in Chris “Beanie” Wells. 

Wells was a premier back while at Ohio State and has himself publicly decried the questions regarding his toughness and durability related to scouts’ questioning after a foot injury derailed him for three games last season while with the Buckeyes.

But Wells was absolutely the real deal in college, rushing for a combined 2,800-plus yards in his sophomore and junior seasons combined. 

Questions still abound for Wells and this running game though, as it is still unsure as to exactly what type of role Wells will fill. There was talk during the draft that the Cardinals are interested in perhaps using Wells as a fullback and primarily handling the blocking duties for the sleeker, more nimble Hightower.

But if Hightower struggles, the Cardinals will be forced to turn to “Beanie” in the hopes of establishing a running presence to compliment their high-octane passing game. 

That is a must if the Cardinals are hoping to repeat their success from last season because NFL teams will be sure to adjust to a Cardinals offense looking to pass in 70 percent of their offensive schemes, much like what catapulted them to their success last year.

On the receiving side of things—the Cardinals have some strong questions that could potentially threaten to plague the team with bigger problems in the near future, regarding offensive statistics to even team cohesion overall. 

Luckily for the Cardinals, their receiving corps is anchored by the always solid Larry Fitzgerald. So that should help ease the concern a little at the very least.

Fitzgerald, as we all know, has been one of the top receivers in the league for a few seasons now and has made his impression upon the league. In three of the last four seasons, Fitzgerald has had over 1,400 yards receiving—including both of the last two seasons. 

He shouldn’t be much of a question mark there, unless an injury derails his season. Great, now I am a little worried—I mean, I don’t want to start any Madden or SI type jinx here —so please let us all cross our fingers and hold a moment of silence before proceeding in the hopes of preventing any type of such injury.

One major issue that does threaten to derail the Cardinals’ receiving success does lie in the Anquan Boldin contract situation

Now I must admit, I can see where both sides are coming from in regards to their contract dispute that seems to be far from concluded and has created quite a distraction in the media.

From the Cardinals’ perspective, the franchise did already “reward” Boldin by restructuring his first contract and reworking it to provide him with a higher salary and a heftier signing bonus. They also have already given a huge contract to Fitzgerald and now cannot afford to keep both of them on the books for $10 million plus per year.

On Boldin’s side of the negotiations, the guy is flat-out a freak. I mean, who gets their face broken on a hit and returns to the field three weeks later? Anquan Boldin does, that’s who. And as far as statistics go, Boldin is a flat-out superstar. 

Last season he still had over 1,000 yards receiving, despite only playing in 12 games! In his six-year career, he has topped the 1,000-yard mark four times and when healthy is up in the 1,300 or 1,400-yard range. 

However, keeping him healthy has been a problem in the last two years, as various injuries have forced Boldin into only playing in 12 games in each of those two seasons.

It will be interesting to see how it all eventually plays out with the Boldin contract dispute. Hopefully somehow there will be a successful resolution that will allow him to remain a Cardinal for many more years to come. 

As a fan, I have to admit it would be a devastating blow to see him go. Not only is Boldin a huge spark on offense and an extremely vital piece of the overall success of the offense, but he also is a positive player with his presence, even being elected Captain of the offense in 2007-2008.

Yes, Steve Breaston is a fine receiver who put up 1,000-yard numbers last season, and the early progress of rookie draft pick Early Doucet has been positive to say the least, so it would appear that the Cardinals could do without Boldin on first glance. 

But Breaston and Doucet are not Anquan Boldin and don’t pose anywhere near as big a threat as Boldin does in any type of offensive scheme. Breaston is a good receiver with good hands and good instincts. He is a great complementary third receiver for the two superstars ahead of him. 

Doucet has a lot of upside as well, but with the guys in front of him, the Cardinals can afford to let him learn the NFL game and learn the system before fully implementing him into the offensive game plan.

Good idea in theory, but Boldin could ultimately decide his own fate and the fate of the franchise by continuing to press the issue and eventually forcing them to trade him to another team willing to pay a higher premium for his services.

The Cardinals offense will have a lot of work to do to achieve the type of success as they had last year in their run through the playoffs and ultimately to the Super Bowl. 

For an offensive unit that dominated their success last season, the Cardinals appear to have even more questions to answer this season regarding the offensive unit as a whole. 

If guys like Hightower, Wells, and Doucet can mature faster than expected, they might be even stronger this season, and that could really spell trouble for the other defenses around the league. 

But if these guys fail to produce, and Boldin continues to complain while behind the locker room doors, you have all the makings of a one-hit wonder waiting to happen. 

My Questions for Matt Ryan

There’s been a lot of talk about sophomore slumps when it comes to you after your outstanding rookie season.  Do you think there’s something to this superstition, and what have you done during the off-season to improve on your 2008 season?

What was your reaction when you first heard your team had acquired Tony Gonzalez?

Are the Atlanta Falcons going to be the team to beat in the NFC South this season?  Who can challenge the Atlanta Falcons?

Back in January, your former head coach at Boston College, Jeff Jagodzinski, was dismissed for interviewing for the New York Jets head coaching vacancy.  What are your feelings about that?  Do you think he was treated unfairly or that his dismissal was warranted?

Which one of your offensive lineman has cost you the most money in terms of taking them out to eat?  They kept your jersey fairly clean last year…I’m guessing you invested quite a bit.

You guys lost in the first round of the playoffs last year to the eventual NFC champion Arizona Cardinals.  What did you personally learn from that experience and what must you, as a team, do differently this season to advance deeper into the playoffs?

Do you know how to calculate a QB rating?

I understand that on June 6, you will be hosting the Inaugural Topps Matt Ryan Football Clinic.  Tell me about that.

What are some things you are doing differently this year in terms of the way you approach the game as opposed to the way you approached the game as a rookie?

What are some areas you feel that you need to improve in as a player heading into the 2009 season?

Are you in favor of the NFL expanding the length of the regular season?

What are your thoughts on the NFL scheduling games across the globe in locals such as London during the regular season?

The defense has a number of new faces on it, via the draft and free agency. How confident are you in your defense this season?  Will they get the job done and make your life easier, or do you feel pressure to score at least 30 points a game?

What has Head Coach Mike Smith done for your career and how is your relationship with him?  How has he prepared you to be the quarterback of this team and what has he taught about leadership and commanding the huddle at the NFL level?   

Name some teammates of yours who have made a huge difference in your career during your short time in the NFL.

What is best thing about being an NFL football player?  The worst?

How long do you plan on playing football?  Do you have any plans for life after football?

The Best Second-Round Draft Picks of the Last 10 Years

On Monday, I wrote an article about Maurice Jones-Drew and his incredible production during his first three years in the NFL.
As Jaguar fans well know, MJD chose the number 32 because he didn’t get drafted until the second round. All 32 teams passed on him at least once, and that created a tremendously large chip on his shoulder.
Obviously, Jones-Drew was a steal in the second round, and that got me thinking: Who are some other top-flight players who were passed in the first round?
So without further adieu, here are the best second-round picks of the last 10 years in chronological order, not counting the 2009 draft.

Washington Redskins’ Fate in Haynesworth Case in Goodell’s Hands

The Washington Redskins are in line to take a slap on the wrist for possibly jumping the gun in signing free agent defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. According to a Yahoo! Sports report, the NFL is investigating the Tennessee Titans’ complaint that the Redskins tampered with Haynesworth prior to the start of the free-agency period.

From what we know, the evidence that negotiations started prior to the permitted hour is mostly circumstantial. Dan Snyder had dinner with Chad Speck, Haynesworth’s agent, at the combine and some players made some comments indicating that they had knowledge of early contact that could constitute tampering.

The fact that Haynesworth signed about six hours after the start of the signing period, by the way, is meaningless. It’s possible to get it done that quickly if both sides are motivated to do so. The team has the numbers loaded into a spread sheet and, as negotiations commence, all of the “what if” scenarios can be run immediately.

The Redskins came up with numbers that Haynesworth liked and, rather than risk the Redskins taking their money elsewhere, Haynesworth and Speck agreed to the deal. The actual paper contract gets drawn up as the player travels to Ashburn and he signs on the line in the afternoon.

Although the actual evidence may seem to be somewhat flimsy, there doesn’t have to be a smoking gun for the Redskins to get nailed here. This isn’t a trial where a jury has to find them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Roger Goddell can do whatever he wants. He can decide that there was enough smoke to deduce that there was a fire.

Goodell’s discretionary power can work in the Redskins’ favor, too. He could reasonably conclude that the Titans were not going to sign Haynesworth under any circumstances. Their final offer just wasn’t close.

But if Goodell thinks there was tampering it’s not likely that his call will be, “no harm, no foul”. If the wide receiver lines up too close to the line and covers the tight end, they throw a flag and walk off five yards even though the infraction has no material impact on the result of the play.

A fifth-round pick is about the equivalent of a five-yard penalty but the Redskins don’t have fifth to give, having thrown it in as part of the Jason Taylor trade.

The guess here is that it’s 50-50 that Goodell sees enough to bust the Redskins for tampering and if he does the Redskins will get hit for their fourth-round pick and Snyder will have to write out a check for about $100,000.

The “7” Factor: Is Your Team in or Out for Next Season’s Playoffs?

One of my favorite things to do during the NFL season is to pick games. I do not gamble, but pick for the fun of it, and of course, bragging rights. The straight up winners, point spreads, and over-unders. I have been doing this since 2000, and no, I do not play fantasy football.

My brother has started also, and we also like to look at the upcoming playoffs via “The Board.” It is a big washboard we purchased that has all 32 teams with magnetic helmets, that we can arrange per division and includes a full playoff tree. Yes, we are nerds.

Picking games during the season is a crap-shoot. Parity is alive and well in the NFL, and you know the saying, “Any given Sunday.”

The spring is an optimists time in the NFL. No matter how your team finished the prior year, you have a glimmer of hope. Whether it’s this year’s top draft pick, or newest free agent addition, your team will be better than last year. Right?

The NFL landscape changes every year. Your team may have brought in new coaches,  strategies and players. There could be a number of any specific changes that could make your team a contender. Every year we hope, dream and wait. 

Projecting the entire season at once is ridiculous. Anything can happen during the season. You never know which teams will get hot in December or what team is destined to fall off the map.

Which brings me to a interesting stat. Since 2000, there has been an average of seven new playoff teams each year. Seven of your favorite teams are getting in, and seven are out. I will go with six to keep this from article from being too long.

My six in this year are:

New York Jets – Could this be Baltimore North? Rex Ryan will bring his defense over along with Bart Scott. Offensively, with Brett Favre gone, there won’t be another 22 interceptions thrown for 2009 right?

 

Seattle – Hasselbeck to Houshmandzadeh. Sounds real good doesn’t it Seattle fans? The defense must step up for 2009 and force turnovers. This team goes as far as Matt Hasselbeck takes them.

 

New Orleans- The addition of Greg Williams as new defensive coordinator will do wonders. Also getting rid of Josh Bullocks will keep teams from stretching the field on the Saints. Expect to see more offensive production from Brees and company for 2009.

 

Houston – The emergence of RB Steve Slaton this past season was incredible. If a healthy Matt Schaub can keep opponents from focusing on Slaton, watch out. This defense has also come a long way in a few years.

 

New England – Brady is back and this defense just keeps on going. It’s like a plug-n-play video game over there. They must get the running game going to keep Tom Brady from doing it all.

 

Green Bay – Repeat after me, “yes we can.” This team goes as far as the new 3-4 scheme takes them. They will not be playing the 3-4 on every snap, but with Dom Capers as new defensive coordinator and playcaller, along with Kevin Greene on the sidelines, I expect some fire out of this unit for 2009.

 

My six out this year are:

Arizona – I really liked the Cardinals story this past year, but I think their luck is about to run out. If Anquan Boldin does not return, teams will be focusing on stopping Larry Fitzgerald. The defense must be more consistent for 2009 and continue to force turnovers.

 

Carolina – The NFC South will be a tough division for 2009. The problem is that the teams around Carolina have made moves to improve. Atlanta, New Orleans and Tampa Bay may just be too much for Carolina to overcome. 

 

Tennessee- How do you spell quarterback controversy? There is no way Vince Young can sit another season. Kerry Collins was solid this past season, but Vince Young can provide the mobility and elusiveness Collins cannot. The defense will be missing Albert Haynesworth and without him, the interior defensive line will be questionable.

 

Miami – Similar to Carolina, this division has done more to improve than Miami. Brady will be back in New England, the T.O. show has begun in Buffalo and the winds swirling in the Meadowlands are that of a new Jets team.

 

Minnesota – Favre or no Favre, this team is in need of a quarterback. Matt Birk left via free agency, along with Darren Sharper on defense. Defensively, I expect them to be competitive. The main question will be quarterback and without a legitimate starter, I can’t see them going too far.

 

Philadelphia– This was a hard one to pick, but the NFC East is a brutal division. 2008 saw this team struggle without a healthy Brian Westbrook and struggle with red zone offense.

Their only other red zone threat, L.J. Smith left for Baltimore and the Eagles must have someone to step up in short yardage and red zone. If Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is not calling the plays, can Sean McDermott be an effective play-caller?

Man in the Middle: Some Questions for Kirk Morrison

Linebacker Kirk Morrison has been a model of consistency for the Oakland Raiders in their recent years of instability.  He’s been the team’s leading tackler every year since becoming a starter early on as a rookie in 2005.  Morrison is one of the unquestioned leaders of the defense.

But that defense also happens to be one of the worst in the league at stopping the run.

As the Raiders look to turn their fortunes around in 2009, the run defense will once again be under close scrutiny.  In the search for answers, Morrison has proved to be a capable spokesperson.  He is articulate, unrelentingly positive, and forthcoming.

In other words, an ideal interview subject.

Here are some questions I would ask him if given the chance.  Each question has a possible follow-up since most often the best nuggets are found there.  Of course, it is impossible to know his answers, but it’s all in the name of preparation.

 

1.  What’s been the attitude of the team during the offseason with Tom Cable returning as Head Coach?

A general, open-ended question to ease into conversation and just have him start talking a bit.

• Follow-up: How is it different this year knowing that there’s no internal drama at the Head Coach position?

 

2.  You’ve mentioned before that closing out last season with two wins was a big boost, how is that carrying over so far for the team? (Sources here and here)

Carrying on the theme of getting the pulse of the team, but I would still expect something vague given his previous answers talking mostly about the positive feeling.  Which leads to:

• Follow-up: Was there anything specific that worked on the field in those last two games that can be successful again?

 

3.  One of the big defensive issues over the years has been the run defense.  What has new Defensive Coordinator John Marshall done so far to address that?

Starting to focus in on the run defense to get to more personal questions, but still addressing one of the major changes in the offseason.  But the big item here is still the issue of change.

• Follow-up: What’s been different in Marshall’s approach compared to Rob Ryan’s over the last few years?

 

4.  Are there any changes to start utilizing your speed along with Thomas Howard’s in more blitz packages?

Zeroing in now on his role in the defense at a positional level.  Plus, with how fast him and Howard are, they can be effective in blitzes.

• Follow-up: Are there other ways you could use your speed in the new defensive scheme?

 

5.  Part of being a NFL player is that there are as many critics as there are fans.  How do you respond to the critics who say too many of your tackles come downfield in the secondary instead of at the line of scrimmage?

The more personal and specific questions.  Structured to ask a probing question without making an attack.  In fairness an athlete should have a platform to defend themselves as well.  Still have to talk about the issue though:

• Follow-up: What have you done to improve your run defense techniques this year and in other years?

 

6.  You’re also entering the final year of your contract, how do you keep that uncertainty from affecting your play?

One of those ‘have to ask’ kind of questions.  Probably would get a fairly standard response, but opens to door to see if there’s a possible parallel:

• Follow-up: How is the contract uncertainty similar to the uncertainty when Lane Kiffin’s job security was questioned week-to-week last season?

 

7.  Last year was the first year defensive players had a radio headset to get calls from coaches, how was that a factor in diagnosing plays or making adjustments?

Still personal, but starting to ease up a little bit as things wind down.  Gotta stay relevant though.

• Follow-up: What are some improvements you can make after having a year of experience with the system?

 

8.  What are some of the challenges in trying to stay positive and not fall into the spiral of ‘here we go again’ if things aren’t going well?

Moving back to broader topics about the team as a whole to bring the interview full circle.

• Follow-up: What are the changes this year that might help the team snap its six year losing streak?

 

9.  What are your goals for this season?

Just sort of back into a more general conversation, but still with a personal twist.

 

10.  Anything else you wanted to add that I didn’t ask about?

The standard end question.

 

The beauty of all this is that everything could get thrown aside if Kirk says something really interesting or insightful.  But that’s always the goal of any interview is to try and get that gem quotation.

But I’d be psyched to get to talk to Kirk Morrison for any reason.

Playbook Reversal: Jimmy Raye and Mike Martz = Flintstones and Jetsons

The San Francisco 49ers switch from apples to oranges by firing Mike Martz and hiring Jimmy Raye as their newest offensive coordinator. Raye is the gritty, run through you not around you coordinator Singletary wanted.

There are two things in life that are certain: Mama said knock you out, and the 49ers playbook will do a complete 180 degree turn.

Mike Martz is Elroy Jetson. He’s extremely intelligent and an expert at what he does. Expect Elroy to fly around in that futuristic space car and grace his way into the endzone.

Jimmy Raye is Fred Flintstone. Fred is hopping in his car, barefoot, and pounding his way to work. His feet will be throbbing from all of that “driving,” but at the end of the day the job will be done and it will be done well.

In seven seasons, the 49ers have had seven offensive coordinators. To say that they’ve been looking for an identity would be a humorous understatement. They’ve had all different types of coordinators. The good ones left for head coaching jobs, (McCarthy, Turner) while the not so good ones were, well, not so good (Knapp, Tollner).

Raye’s history suggests that he’s prime to bring Gore back to his 2006 form (1,695 rushing yards, 8 TDs).

Utilizing the 49ers strongest weapon in Gore seems to be like a no brainer, and Singletary feels Raye is one who can bring the best out of the fifth year Miami alum.

Last year Jimmy Raye helped the New York Jets become ninth in the league in rushing while Mike Martz boosted the 49ers up to 13th in the league in passing. While Martz did give the 49ers offense the jolt they lost when Turner bolted to San Diego, it didn’t fit what Singletary envisioned.

According to his first press conference, Singletary wants to go out and hit people in the mouth. As non-football related as that sounds, that’s the philosophy No. 50 is bringing to this organization. Jimmy Raye should know a thing or two about getting people primed to hit someone in the mouth.

Just ask Eric Dickerson.

With Mike Martz, eehh, not so much. Everyone knows about Mike Martz’s system. He throws the ball. He throws it from first down to fourth down. He throws the ball in the weight room, and he throws it in meetings.

He’s the orchestrator of The Greatest Show on Turf. But Singletary doesn’t want a great show, he wants a victory. He wants to build a team based on defense and solid, clock controlling running.

Jimmy Raye brings that to the offensive side of the ball. He’s not known for taking big risks with the football, and the 49er personnel isin’t built for that. Raye wants to control the game, not dominate it.

One of the biggest signings this past off season was the re-acquisition of fullback Moran Norris. Norris lead the way for Gore during his 2006 Pro Bowl season. They also signed Marvel Smith, a Pro Bowl yet injury prone tackle with a fresh new piece of jewelry.

Following an overall quiet free agency splash, the 49ers drafted Alabama running back Glen Coffee, who runs extremely violent, and Bear Pascoe, a productive pass catcher and efficient blocking tight end.

The picks wouldn’t have been very pleasing to Martz. Elroy would have loved the Michael Crabtree selection, it’s just that he would have wanted the 49ers to trade their second round pick to jump up and pick Jeremy Maclin also instead of trading back to get Coffee.

49ers fans can actually anticipate a more balanced offensive attack from coordinator Fred as opposed to running 97 percent of the time as the reputation would indicate. However, they can rest assured knowing that their franchise back will get a healthy helping of carries. Whatever the case may be, they would love to see a guy stick around for more than one season.

In hindsight, Raye seems likely to man the offensive controls for at least a couple years. He’s at the tail-end of his career, and is not quite ready to retire but is unlikely to accept a head coaching position at this point.

With Elroy it’s no telling. We wouldn’t be surprised to see Martz start up an airplane company.

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