Report: Plaxico Burress Won’t Be a New York Jet

It appears the New York Jets will not be the team to give troubled wide receiver Plaxico Burress a second chance in the NFL, according to a published report.

 

Citing ESPN’s John Clayton, The New York Post on Monday reported that the Jets are not likely to sign the former Giants star.

 

“The Bears are pretty much all but ruled out the possibility of bringing (Burress) in and the Jets are almost in the same boat,” Clayton said. “Nobody is going to bring him in before the start of training camp, it looks like.”

 

Over the past few weeks, the Jets publicly voiced their interest in Burress, most likely because he would have given rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez a proven target to throw toward.

 

Burress, who shot himself in the thigh November 29 in a Manhattan nightclub, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and faces up to three and a half years in prison.

 

Burress made an appearance in court early last week, where Judge Felicia Mennin adjourned the case until Sept. 23, enabling the former Super Bowl hero to continue negotiations with several NFL teams.

The 31-year-old receiver recorded 35 catches, 454 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games last season.

 

Perhaps first-year head coach Rex Ryan and the Jets will turn their attention to figuring out a way to land Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, who requested a trade last week.

Don’t Look Now But The Buccaneers Will TRY to Score

Better make sure you’re sitting down for this one:

The 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will “aggressively attempt to score lots of points.”

You gotta be kidding?

Isn’t that what teams are supposed to do in football?

You can take it as gospel because it’s all there on Buccaneers.com.

Of course that’s the team’s propaganda, er, website.

Still there it is from the Book of Revelation according to Michael Clayton, Buccaneer receiver extraordinaire.

In the very first meeting with new offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, Clayton and Buccaneers.com tell us he said “we’re going to score some points.”

That should come as real relief for the multitudes that pony up for season tickets to fund the Glazer Bailout Program.

Now this stern warning for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, New England Patriots and the rest of the NFL bullies that inhabit the Buccaneer schedule:

“We are going to aggressively attempt to score lots of points,” says Jagodzinski on the Bucs website.

Now talk about exciting. That should totally sell out the remaining season tickets.

Now those of you wondering how all this will come about need to look no further than the scouting report from Clayton:

“We’ve got guys making plays down the field, not only the ones but the back-ups,” says Clayton, a guy who has probably caught more colds than touchdown passes the past two seasons.

Suddenly, the two-headed zone-blocking run-the-ball monster that is supposed to be Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward has taken a back seat.

Instead, we are going to be treated to the empty-backfield, five receiver set of Antonio Bryant, Clayton, Kellen Winslow Jr., Jerramy Stevens, and the wonderfully pesky return threat, Clifton Smith, all going out at once to terrorize the Giant, Eagle, Cowboy, and Patriot defenses, among others.

Holy seven-on-seven drill!

There you have it.

Answers.

The only question remaining is: If the defense is letting all those guys make plays down field, what can the Eagles, Giants, Cowboys, and Patriots be thinking about?

Seven and Nine: Seven Key Games on The Bills 2009 Schedule.

Seven and Nine: Seven key games to win that will end Buffalo’s nine year playoff drought.

 

Seven and Nine are familiar numbers to Buffalo Bills fans, and it’s a dubious combination that the team itself wants to avoid at all costs when the final standings are sorted out the evening of January 3, 2010.

 

One thing is for certain, if the Bills finish 7-9 again this season, not only will they extend their playoff drought to double digits in terms of years, but there will likely be wholesale changes made in the front office, coaching staff, and roster.

With the exception of last year’s 5-1 start, a major reason why the Bills have failed to make the playoffs is because of their notoriously slow starts the greater part of this decade.

 

If they ever want to get back to playing football in January and February, they can ill afford another slow start. It’d be nice to replicate last season’s fantastic start, but even if they can manage a .500 record through their first six games, they should be in good shape heading down the stretch.

 

Obviously, an NFL season isn’t as long as the other three major professional sports leagues, so you can argue that every game in a 16 game NFL schedule is equally important.

 

Here are seven key dates that are significantly more important than the other nine. And what makes them so important is that they are either divisional or against fellow AFC conference rivals that all have the same goal in mind. So mark your calendar now, because the Bills are likely going to need to win at least four or five of these contests to have a chance at making it back to the playoffs this year.

 

 

 

1) AT New England 09/14/09

 

Considering the venue, the hype, and the prime time slot, this game has all the makings of another lopsided blowout in the Patriot’s favor.

 

But what if the Bills go into Foxboro and do the unthinkable? It could very well set the tone for a special season, and would certainly be a disaster for the media circus that is anticipating nothing short than a Patriot rout of the Bills as Tom Brady makes his triumphant return to the NFL.

 

I would also imagine that the Vegas gambling network would collapse considering how much money is likely going to be waged on this one in the Pats favor, as they will likely be at least 14 point favorites by kickoff.

 

 

 

2) AT Miami 10/04/09

 

Whether you want to call it Land Shark Stadium, Joe Robbie Stadium, Pro Player Stadium, etc; the Bills have won three of last five in South Florida. This is a very key game for both teams because the Dolphins could very well be 0-3 going into this one, which would give the Bills an opportunity to go for the jugular early.

 

Conversely, if the Bills lose in New England, they will be desperate to avoid a 0-2 start in division play, and for a team that went 0-6 in division play last year the pressure will mount fast.

 

Given the schedule, there’s also a chance that the Bills are 1-2 heading into this one. So again, to avoid an early season hole, this one has “must win” written all over it.

 

 

 

3) Houston 11/01/09

 

A very big game before the bye week and this one will likely have major tie breaker ramifications for both teams in terms of potential playoff seeding and a wild card spot.

 

The Texans could be very good in 2009, and like the Bills they are looking to not only make the playoffs for the first time this decade, but also the first time ever. Luckily the Bills get them at home despite the fact they’ve been far from dominant there in recent years.

 

Houston has only been to Buffalo once, but did come out victorious in that contest. Buffalo has visited Houston twice and won both games there as well. With two young up and coming teams, I smell a potential rivalry brewing.

 

 

 

4) AT Tennessee 11/15/09

 

Coming off the bye week, another huge game against the AFC South looms large. Even if they aren’t the juggernaut they were last year, the Titans will likely be in the thick of the playoff race at this point.

 

Buffalo could be looking to avoid falling below .500 here or get on a roll as they make a strong push for the playoffs. But for the Bills to get back to the postseason, they need to win games on the road against contenders.

 

This contest should be a game that tells us exactly who the 2009 Buffalo Bills are. They need to prove they can hang with physical teams and run the football against them.

 

 

 

5) New York (Toronto) 12/03/09

 

Buffalo’s new second home is in Toronto, but it’s really just a neutral field on foreign soil.

 

It’s always tough to play a Thursday game with just a few days of preparation, and considering this is a division rival that makes it even more difficult. Also factor in they will play Miami in Buffalo just a few days before this game.

 

The Jets might be in the playoff mix, or looking ahead to 2010 by this time, but either way the Bills need to win their first “home” game in Toronto.

 

Playing in the dome should help as well since neither team will have to worry about the inclement weather conditions that comes with the territory in December.

 

 

 

6) New England 12/20/09

 

Twas the Sunday before Christmas, when in a jam packed Ralph Wilson stadium, not a fan was quiet, and if the Bills could win this game it may incite a riot. Or it might just be another lopsided win in New England’s favor, and the Bills could be out of playoff contention by then.

 

After all that has been the norm in Western NY for far too long. But could you imagine if the Bills go into this one with a chance to not only sweep the Patriots, but to put a stranglehold on the AFC East?

 

If this game does end up having serious division and playoff implications, look for it to be moved to the prime time Sunday night slot.

 

 

 

7) Indianapolis 01/03/10

 

This could very well be a win and get in game. And against a veteran team like the Colts, it won’t be an easy task.

 

One thing’s for sure though, the last thing Bills fans want is another game like the 2004 season finale against the Steelers, especially if the Colts don’t need to win this one.

 

Regardless the implications, it’s never an easy task playing a Manning led offense. And these Colts have come a long way since being a former AFC East cellar dweller that was usually good for two easy wins a year.

 

Here’s hoping this isn’t the only game Buffalo will be playing in January 2010. This is also another possible flex scheduling candidate.

The Oakland Raiders: A Pro Bowl Offense?

As it is a slow period in the NFL as we as fans await Training Camp. I figured it would be okay to compare our rosters to other players in the NFL. I was taking a look at the roster and I felt we had so much potential for not only the 2009 season, but for years to come.

So I decided to compare our offensive roster other players in the NFL. I hope you enjoy the show.

LaDainian Tomlinson Is Ready to Prove His Doubters Wrong

This past week LaDainian Tomlinson turned the ripe old age of 30. Many fantasy football analysts will give you the common info that because LT has hit this landmark age he is practically “washed up.”

Just recently I wrote a column and did a show on blog talk radio on how a magazine that both my father and I like, had Steven Jackson ranked No. 5 and LT ranked No. 7. In that work, I questioned just how important a player’s age is, versus their performance on the field.

Tomlinson has not missed a regular season start since 2004 (he missed one game) and has been a solid, if not a fantastic fantasy option in every year of his career.

Sure he did wear down a bit in his rookie year but that was his first season in the NFL. It usually takes a guy a year to get used to the full 16-week schedule.

Now it is true that LT has broken down once he has gotten to the playoffs, but that does not really matter in fantasy football. Fantasy owners care more if the guy was health enough to start on a regular basis.

Yet now that Tomlinson has turned the magic 30, it looks as if fantasy experts are throwing his ability to play down the drain and warning everyone that LT is a risk.

 

The Guy Still Puts Up Numbers

While LT did not have a great season by his standards last year, he did post over 1,500 all purpose yards and 12 touchdowns. He also had another season with over 50 receptions (52) and again played all 16 games.

It’s true that LT is now heading into his ninth year in the league, but when you look at the team he’s on, one has to believe he should do well again.

 

Who Is Going To Take Carries Away From LT?

The Chargers drafted no one significant this spring to fill LT’s shoes. This means that Darren Sproles is still going to be the back-up runner in San Diego. While Sproles is a talented player, he is only a change of pace runner and special teams man.

By no stretch of the imagination should Sproles or any other runner get work over LT when the Chargers pound out goal-line touchdown opportunities.

 

Fantasy Information for LaDainian Tomlinson

Right now I still see LaDainian as a top-three runner in fantasy football. While he is behind Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner, I just don’t believe LT should go any lower then that.

The AFC west is clearly the weakest division in fantasy football against the run. Look for the Chargers to roll to a division title and for LT to have another solid year.

While I don’t believe Tomlinson is the same player he was four or five years ago, I do believe this guy is still a very solid producer. Their is no reason why LT should not have another season that gives you a chance to win a fantasy title in 2009.

 

Written By- Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

Brett Favre Is Waiting for the Right Time to Announce His Comeback

It seems that right now, the question regarding Brett Favre playing in 2009 is no longer if, but when? Favre has had surgery to help heal his torn bicep in his right arm, which is usually a four- to six-week recovery process. 

With all of the attention and spotlight being put on Favre this offseason, as long as his right arm is okay, he’s coming back.

Now that OTAs are over, the NFL season is in a standstill period. Training camp starts in less than a month, and a Brett Favre announcement must be inching closer. The Vikings have openly admitted the interest they have for Favre, and Favre has done the same.

After how everything ended last season with the NY Jets, Favre still believes he can still play the game of football at a high level. There’s no reason he should think otherwise—just look at his numbers before he was injured.

He turned a mediocre Jets team that was a pretender into a contender.

With every team positioning itself for the start of the season in mid-September, Favre is going to have to make an announcement sooner or later. The Vikings have a solid team already, and if they add a Hall of Fame quarterback like Favre, they become the instant favorite in the NFC North.

When you look at the rest of this division, there are a lot of interesting stories. The Lions have the No. 1 draft pick in Matthew Stafford. The Bears have a new QB in Jay Cutler. The Packers addressed many of their defensive needs over the offseason. 

Finally, there are the Vikings, who have just been sitting back.

If Favre joined his old NFC North rival and put on the purple jersey against his old team that he spent so many years with, the media coverage would be out of control—not to mention that both games against the Packers will have significant meaning toward the records and making the playoffs.

Favre has waffled on decisions in the past, and that’s the reason why Ted Thompson decided to stick it to him and give the control to Aaron Rodgers.

There comes a point in time when things need to be changed. 

Favre had a tremendous run in Green Bay, but it was time for him to go; now, a year later, he could be coming back for revenge.

Favre will make the decision based on how he feels, both physically and mentally. He knows how grueling the NFL season can be and what each day requires as far as hard work and effort is concerned. 

If he goes to Minnesota, he’s going for the right reason—and that’s to win a Super Bowl.

I would be quite surprised if Favre publicly came out and said he was going to stay retired. He’s taking a lot of risks if he decides to sign with the Vikings. None of this would be possible if the Jets didn’t release him from their reserved list. 

As far as the league and anybody else should be concerned, right now, he’s retired.

There are so many intangibles and questions surrounding Brett Favre. His can-do attitude is what has made him the type of quarterback he is. He’s felt both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

Favre will turn 40 in October, but that hasn’t stopped him from believing he still has the tools to win in the NFL. If he did come out of retirement, he would be entering his 19th season as a quarterback in the NFL. 

There are very few QBs who can stand up and say they played the game as long and as well as Brett Favre did.

He’s the ultimate iron man who has played through injuries time after time. Why should he think that he can’t play anymore after all of the statistical records he’s broken?

Favre’s just waiting for the right moment to announce he will be part of the Minnesota Vikings in 2009. As long as his right bicep tendon heals properly and he can make all the throws in his arsenal, he could have opposing defenses scrambling for new game plans when they face an already potent Vikings offense. 

There are a lot of unanswered questions out there, but with time, this story will be complete.

Brian Mitchell, Go Away

It wasn’t enough for former Washington football special teamer Brian Mitchell to be cut from the hosting roster at ESPN 980, he now has to insinuate the obvious. Mitchell insists he was forced out for his bias against the franchise he regularly covered.

The story originates from a USA Today piece in which Brian Mitchell says that fans, “want to hear what they truly see.” Confusing two of the five senses aside, that is true. What is false is that fans want to hear you bash the team and executives with clear and prolific jealousy and animosity. That’s just not attractive.

So, go away Brian Mitchell.

You were a special teams star and little else.

You’re commentary is old, your importance to the Washington sports community has dwindled, and everyone has moved on except you.

I’m sure Philadelphia will welcome you and your “straight talk.”

What To Expect from the Steelers Offensive Line After This Year

It’s hard to argue that the biggest area of weakness for the Steelers is the offensive line.  Most people say that it is the worst offensive line to ever win a Super Bowl.

There are a lot of different factors involved.  The key loss of Alan Faneca to the New York Jets last offseason and the injuries to Marvell Smith and Kendall Simmons could also be mentioned.

Then there is the fact that Max Starks was transition tagged, then franchise tagged, and then franchise tagged again, and he couldn’t even take the starting right tackle job from Willie Colon.

However, if you looked at how Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert approached the offseason, you can see they believe in this young group.

 

LT Max Starks

After an early season injury to Marvell Smith, Starks came in and replaced him.  Starks improved over the season, leading the Steelers to franchise tag him for the second consecutive season.

If it was important enough for the Steelers to pay the kind of money they did to keep Starks around, it was important for salary cap reasons to get a long term deal signed.

Starks recently signed a four-year deal worth $26 million. This freed up $3 million in cap space.

 

LG Chris Kemoeatu

There was no one on the line that had a more difficult job than Kemo.  Having to replace All-Pro regular Alan Faneca is a hard enough job, but when the players to the right and left of you both change, it makes it that much harder.

Kemoeatu did an above average job in his first year starting.  So much that the New York Jets tried to do with Kemo that they did with Faneca, steal him away.

Unlike Faneca, Kemo was willing to take less money to stay with the Steelers signing a five-year deal worth $20 million.

The left side of the offensive line has come to terms with the Steelers for the next four seasons.  These are the most important positions when you have a right-handed quarterback.  Especially when you are paying that QB over $100 million.

 

C Justin Hartwig

Hartwig came to the Steelers as a free agent pick up from the Carolina Panthers last offseason.  Hartwig replaces Sean Mahan, who was traded back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the signing.

Hartwig, as the center, is required to call the offensive protections at the line, which is the most important job on the line.

As he spent training camp with the team, the pieces around him fell.  Marvel Smith was lost for the year after a Week Three back injury, and Kendall Simmons was lost in Week Four to a knee injury.

The players that this new player had, now changed and they had to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

As the season went on, they got better, but they never had the time needed to mesh together.

 

RG Darnell Stapleton

In his second year, after being picked up as a rookie free agent, Stapleton had the task of replacing former first-round pick Kendall Simmons.

Though he struggled at times, when a player comes to the team undrafted, he should not be expected to take over as a starter in his second year.

Either because the Steelers don’t have faith in him, or plan on moving him to center (he did play center in college), they drafted Kraig Urbik in the third round out of Wisconsin.

Urbik has size on his side. At 6’5″, 323 lbs, he is more of a mauler than a finesse blocker.  He comes from a school that likes to run the football. 

I expect Urbik to push for serious playing time this year and to take over as starter by 2010.

 

RT Willie Colon

The Steelers selected Colon in the fourth round of the 2006 draft.  It was believed that he would have been a second or third round pick, but two college incidents where Colon was thrown out of contests for fighting made his stock drop.

When Pittsburgh selected him, they hoped he would turn out to eventually be a staple at the right tackle position.  That he has done.

Colon recently signed his one-year tender offer from the Steelers to remain with the team. 

After starting 14 games in 2007, Colon kept franchise player Max Starks from becoming the starter at right tackle, and will battle also recently re-signed Trai Essex for the starters job at camp.

 

Trai Essex

Essex has yet to establish himself as starting material.  He has an uphill climb. The only position he can compete for is right tackle. 

One of the more intriguing battles at camp will be between Colon and Essex.  I look for Colon to keep his job.

 

A.Q. Shipley

Falling to the seventh round, Pittsburgh selected A.Q. Shipley out of Penn State.  Shipley was an All-American, an All-Big 10 first teamer, and the Big Ten offensive lineman of the year.

Shipley reminds me of a young Mike Webster.  Webster came to the Steelers in the fifth round of the vaunted 1974 draft class.

Both were undersized, Shipley at 6’0″, 298 lbs, and Webster at 6’1″, 255 lbs. 

The biggest knock on Shipley is his size and reach.  Most scouts believed that if Shipley were three inches taller, he would have been the first center taken in the draft.

Shipley also grew up in Pittsburgh, rooting for the Steelers.  Scoring a 40 on the Wonderlic test, Shipley has the brains to man the position, provided he has the work ethic to develop the physical skills.

 

What does the future hold?

As I stated earlier, the left side of the line, the most important side, is under contract for at least the next four years.

Starks and Kemoeatu will need to get together and become close to the unit that was there when Marvell Smith and Alan Faneca were there.  With their size, strength, and experience winning the Super Bowl, these two young men should be ready to step up and lead this unit.

At center, A.Q. Shipley has two years to get ready to take over the role he has always dreamed of having.  The Steelers have a history of great centers, from Mike Webster to Dermonti Dawson to Jeff Hartings.

With the exception of the last couple of years, the center position for the Steelers has been one of the constants, having only three hold the position from 1974 until Hartings retired in 2006.

With his smarts and work ethic, along with the desire to play for his favorite team, Shipley will excel once he is ready to take over the starter’s job.

At right guard, Darnell Stapleton is not going to be able to hold off rookie Kraig Urbik very long.  Urbik has the size, and more importantly the ability, to be a long-time starter in the NFL.

If Stapleton can hold him off this year, I don’t think he will be able to much longer after that.  I look for Urbik to be a Faneca-type player within three years.

The biggest question mark is at right tackle.  Is Willie Colon or Trai Essex the answer?  I am not sure.  But if neither of them can step up, it is going to have to be addressed.

The Steelers line has the ability to grow together over the next couple of years and become one of the strongest units on the team.  But only if the players are willing to do the work that will make it happen.

Day 82 and an Otis Family Moment

Jim Otis strikes a pose

I switched to Verizon FIOS earlier this summer and I really love the service and the channel choices.

One of those new choices is The Big Ten Network and the channel was playing the classic 1969 Ohio State-Michigan game yesterday.

One of the stars of that game was Buckeye fullback Jim Otis, father of great Columbia QB Jeff Otis ’05.

Ohio State famously lost that game, but Otis had a great day rushing for 144 yards on 28 carries, one of them for a TD.

During Jeff’s career at Columbia, Jim was often seen at Wien Stadium on football Saturdays.

He even gave a great interview to the YES Network during the 2003 game against Harvard which the Lions won on an Otis-to-Zach Van Zant TD pass.

The elder Otis became an All-American and a good running back for the St. Louis Cardinals for a few years.

Steve Cargile in 2003

Player of the Day, Day 82: Steve Cargile ’04

One of the players on that 2003 team was defensive back Steve Cargile, who switched positions to help the team midway through his college career and ended up finding a place in the NFL.

Cargile came to Columbia as a wide receiver from the Cleveland area and did quite well in that role through his junior year.

Then Head Coach Ray Tellier decided to encourage Cargile to switch to defensive back, and he turned in a stellar 2003 season which landed him on the All Ivy second team.

More importantly, Cargile stood out so much in his new role, the NFL took notice. Everyone agrees Cargile would never have been recognized by the pro scouts had he stayed at wide receiver.

Many Columbia fans last saw Cargile sitting with another Columbia graduate turned NFL player Marcellus Wiley 1997, at this year’s spring game.

He has spent the last year or so on the Giants practice roster, but is still hoping to get into the action at the Meadowlands sometime soon.

Playoff Quarterbacks Who Wouldn’t Cut It Elsewhere

Ahhhh, the blessed and the cursed… Some NFL QB’s are fortunate to be surrounded by such class and talent, that even after their worst performance, they can still chalk one up in the victory column. Other Quarterbacks, no matter how great they play, find themselves dealt the Sisyphean task of winning with a defense, receivers, or offensive line weaker than a wet tissue. Today, rather than delving into the “Archie Manning Dillema”, lets talk about the playoff QB’s who most likely would not make the playoffs, if they played someplace else. Quarterbacks were choosen only from the 12, 2008 playoff qualifying teams. The Question: Based off of each QB’s 2008 performance, which quarterbacks would most likely miss the post-season, if playing on a team with a mediocre supporting cast? Here we go…

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010