Check-In With the New England Patriots: Tight End

I guess this article on the New England Patriots’ group of tight ends, could be considered an extension of the segment that I recently wrote on the offensive line. After all, I referenced numerous ways in which the tight end corps will be an essential component to the Patriots’ passing attack this season.

The front office felt it was necessary to add not one, but two extremely athletic tight ends to their group. They acquired former Tampa Bay Bucs’ tight end Alex Smith via trade, while adding New York Jets’ tight end Chris Baker through free agency.

Both of these players are extremely versatile athletes, the breed of players which beguile both Belichick and Brady.

Both Baker and Smith are known for their pass-catching ability. They both hauled in 21 receptions, and Smith snagged three touchdowns. Their numbers were both eerily similar to Benjamin Watsons, who caught 22 passes and two touchdowns.

What’s more, the Patriots’ two hold-over tight ends from last season, Benjamin Watson and David Thomas, combined for 31 receptions, 302 yards, and two touchdowns. Smith and Baker combined for 42 receptions for 444 yards, and three touchdowns.

The Patriots clearly don’t hold high expectations of Watson to return to his numbers from 2005-2007 (he posted 1,473 yards and 13 touchdowns in those three seasons combined). This could be a “tight end by committee”, with the most serviceable player being utilized for their strengths in a given situation.

Back to their versatility, though, both of their new acquisitions are known for their ability to block athletic pass rushers; this was exposed as a weakness in Super Bowl XLII.

The combination of size, speed, and strength that the new tight ends possess makes them excellent additional blockers against edge rushers such as Calvin Pace, Aaron Maybin, and Joey Porter, among many others whom the Patriots will face this coming season.

Although the Patriots currently possess a lot of depth at tight end, I don’t expect them to take all four tight ends into the regular season; most rosters feature only three tight ends.

To me, the only one who doesn’t make the grade is David Thomas. I’ve held out hope for him to develop in the past few seasons, but the third round pick hasn’t performed up to the standard of his 50 catch, five touchdown season as a senior at Texas.

With Watson, Baker, and Smith sharing time as tight ends, the Patriots pack a punch of versatility at a position that they will begin to heavily utilize. Although this is one of the less respected (recognized/discussed?) positions on any teams’ depth chart, it could prove to be one of the most important in the success of the Pats this coming season…for years to come.

At 27, 28, and 29 years of age respectively, Smith, Watson, and Baker figure to be a formidable squad for a couple of years. Watson’s contract is up soon, so the signings could also be a sign that he is out the door.

If that’s the case, the Patriots have done plenty to address the situation and provide insurance in the event of his departure.

Regardless of the outcome down the road, the Patriots’ fleet of tight ends figure to be a group that is formidable at worst, and superb at best.

Certainly, they will need to be accounted for every play.

 

The Browns Under Mangini: It’s Anyone’s Guess

It didn’t take long for the kind of drama first-year Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini strives to squash to rear its ugly head as the preseason got off to a thundering sputter Tuesday for a franchise engulfed in the familiar setting of rebuilding mode.

After sitting out the final portion of spring workouts due to an undisclosed injury, Browns’ No. 1 receiver Braylon Edwards returned to the team yesterday, one day after his designated report date, and according to the team, promptly failed his physical and was immediately placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list.

Other than that, the Browns organization has given out zero additional information on a situation that’s become the first tangent distraction under Team Mangini. The way shreds of details were grudgingly divulged to the public was, to say the least, secretive.

The Edwards matter came to light while being buried in the press release announcing the signing of second-round draft pick Mohamed Massaquoi to a four-year contract. A day later, there’s still no individual story regarding the Edwards injury on the team’s official website, ClevelandBrowns.com.

This of course leads to rampant speculation of what’s actually going on behind drawn curtains at Browns headquarters in Berea, Ohio.

Cleveland Plain Dealer beat reporter Tony Grossi reported yesterday afternoon a source hinted Edwards was injured playing basketball. But message boards have exploded with blind guesses as to the true nature of the situation.

Some believe the Browns have a deal in the works to ship Edwards elsewhere after a season in which he led the NFL in dropped passes. Others think Mangini is trying to teach his top receiver a lesson in accountability after missing his delegated date to arrive.

For the time being, no one, aside from members of the Browns front office, players, coaches, and training staff knows for certain what’s the reality of the issue. And that’s exactly how Mangini wants it.

The handling of Edwards is a prime example of what to expect from the Mangini regime. Call it an information underload.

True to his roots as a member of the Bill Belichick coaching tree, Mangini would rather give out his credit-card numbers than discuss details of matters such as these, which he believes aren’t worthy of outsiders’ ears. Mangini doesn’t just play his cards close to the vest, he plays them under it.

Like Belichick, his former mentor and current rival, Mangini was known to report the only bare minimum required by the league on weekly injury reports while serving as head coach of the New York Jets. At last season’s end, few could have guessed Brett Farve would need surgery on his throwing arm just to even contemplate his annual unretirement party.

But it’s not only communication regarding injuries that fans and media members alike will find has become limited. Mangini his been positively vague regarding top priorities such as the quarterback competition or team strategies on both sides of the ball. Even his training camp schedule was much of a mystery up until last week.

For as long as Mangini is in charge, attempting to pry particulars from Browns coaches on matters from the most trivial on up will be a battle in futility, regardless of whether or not Mangini is taken to task for his tight-lipped policy. The design, of course, is to keep opponents guessing on even the most inconsequential of affairs.

In the end, there’s no sense in fighting it. From this point forward, media members and fans alike will be forced to rely on often unfounded rumors and speculation as to what’s really going on with Mangini’s Cleveland Browns. But should that bring positive results, who’s to argue?

 

Why Michael Vick Will Still Work in the NFL

The reinstatement of Michael Vick couldn’t have come at a better time.

It’s late July, with training camp set to open not too far from now. The only condition of the reinstatement, for Vick, is that he will miss a few games because of a suspension by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The suspension is really a blessing in disguise for Vick, as it will give him time to practice and get himself back into form. After all, he hasn’t thrown a pass in a game since 2006. Likely, it will take some time before Vick is anything close to what he was then.

But it’s a low-risk, high-reward signing for whichever team picks him up.

Surely Vick could be signed for a cheap price, meaning that if he doesn’t work out, then it’s not a huge loss—and if he does, he can be a huge asset to the offense.

Remember, in his prime, Vick was a genuine two-sided threat, a QB that could throw the ball or run with it. He wasn’t overwhelming, but he still managed to throw for over 2,300 yards in each of his full seasons, while rushing for about seven yards a carry.

In 2006, his last season in the NFL, Vick gave signs of entering his prime. He threw for almost 2,500 yards and 20 touchdowns (and 13 interceptions), while rushing for over 1,000 yards (an average of 8.4 a carry) and two majors, nearly matching the numbers put up by Warrick Dunn.

However, the lingering question, does Vick still has anything left in his tank? Picking up where he left off is unlikely and playing in a similar role is questionable. Other rushing QB’s—Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, etc—have had either a short shelf life or had to transition their game towards passing, something that has never been Vick’s strong suit.

But in the right setting, Vick could still pose a threat.

With the emergence of the Wildcat/Single Wing offense used by Miami last season, teams looking to install a similar scheme could use a player with Vick’s skill set. He’s got the speed to run around the outside on a sweep, yet also has enough skill throwing the ball that he could play regular snaps too.

And while Vick is a pubic relation’s nightmare, there will surely be teams looking his way for that reason:

-Oakland: They tried the Wildcat last season (with limited success) and have a history of signing people with a troubled past. Plus, as one of the worst teams in the NFL last season, what do they have to lose?

– Pittsburgh: Would the Steelers bring Vick in? BetUS seems to think so, giving the team 4-1 odds of signing him. Vick could work on the Steelers and help to take some of the spotlight off of Ben Roethlisberger’s recent legal trouble.

– New England: BetUS also gives the Patriots 4-1 odds to sign Vick. The Patriots have had some success recently with troubled players (i.e. Randy Moss). Here Vick would only play a small role in the offense, but I wouldn’t put it past Bill Belichick to get the most out of him.

Let’s Be Content With What The Minnesota Vikings Have

The Favre saga is finally over for the Vikings. He’s done with and even he knows it.

While many Vikings’ fans may not be very happy with the outcome of his decision, I think we are all happy that it’s finally over.

We have to more forward with what we have: Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

While the two may not be the typical glamour quarterback that every NFL team wants, they are serviceable.

Jackson has gotten better every season so far and had an incredible four game span to end the season in 2008 included a four touchdown performance that earned him Offensive Player of the Week honors.

I guess what’s bugging me more than anything are all these articles stating that we should go after Michael Vick.

We already have that in Tarvaris Jackson. Jackson makes better decisions throwing the ball and has a higher completion percentage than Vick.

He may not be as fast as Vick, but we don’t need another running back at quarterback.

I’ve even heard of people saying that we should make a play for Jason Campbell come next season.

Well folks, that’s next season. We have to work with what we’ve got.

We haven’t seen anything from Rosenfels. Let’s not count him out of the equation here. He had some pretty solid games for the Texans.

Of course he’s most famous for his helicopter spin that ultimately cost the Texans the game against the Colts, but you shouldn’t have to worry about another play like that. I think he learned his lesson the hard way there.

The time to win doesn’t have to be right now like so many of you fans think.

Our players aren’t ancient and falling apart. Pat Williams is 36 and the next oldest player is 31 and that’s an offensive lineman. Offensive lineman can still play for another six years after that and not lose much.

We have great young talent all around and plenty of time to develop new ones.

If we have to draft a rookie quarterback next season, so be it. I wouldn’t be against it unless one of our quarterbacks goes on a hot streak and takes the NFL by storm.

I don’t want to see a Michael Vick in purple just so we can run the “Wildcat” that was so popular a year ago. We don’t need that offense. It only worked for a small portion of last season anyway.

For now, give your support to the players we have. They have the talent around them to succeed.

The addition of Phil Loadholt will be huge. It gives us a true tackle instead of a backup center trying to fill the void.

Percy Harvin should do enough to dazzle us fans to forget about our problems at the quarterback position.

Just remember, there are worse teams out there with far worse problems than the Vikings face.

Fantasy Football Profile: Clinton Portis

Because he’s been playing at such a high level for so many years, Clinton Portis seems older than he actually is. It’s hard to believe that Portis will turn 28 in September. He’s like the college basketball player that plays meaningful minutes for four years. When they are a Senior it seems like they’ve been there five or six years. 
 
CP had another outstanding year rushing for 1,487 yards with 9 TDs with another 28 receptions for 218 yards. It’s amazing that Portis’ 1,487 yards is the fourth highest total of his career. He should eclipse the 10,000 yard mark this year should he stay healthy. 

Portis was given the ball a few too many times last year in my opinion. There is no reason he had 342 carries when Ladell Betts, a capable backup, had just 61. Perhaps the 3.0 yards per carry Portis had in December was a reflection of the fatigue from overuse. 

Despite playing in the tough NFC East, Portis has some nice matchups in 2009. He faces St. Louis and Detroit in Weeks 2 and 3, Kansas City in Week 6, Denver in Week 10, and New Orleans in Week 13. He opens the fantasy playoffs against Oakland, followed by matchups with the Giants and the Cowboys.

Portis will likely be drafted in the late first or early second round.  I’m not ready to signal the end for CP as I have him figured for 1600 total yards and 8 TDs.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Can Brandon Jacobs and Eli Manning win it for the Giants?

The Giants are looking great on defense.

 

They have one of the best defensive teams in the NFL.

 

But the offense is not great.

 

You have a great running back and a good quarterback, but that is it.

 

All the rest of these guys are not more then Ok players.

 

So can Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs make it work?

 

I think they can.

 

These guys are very good players, and good players make the players around them better.

 

Eli Manning can use both the passing and running game successfully, not many teams can say there quarterback can do that.

 

Jacobs makes that possible. With his great speed and the success he has in beating the defense he gives Eli more tools to work with on the offense.

 

And lets not forget, they may look like they are alone on the football field but they are not.

 

Rookie Hakeem Nicks can help this team on offense, he has great potential. And with good coaching he may end up to be the Giants top wide receiver.

 

And another good receiver is Sinorice Moss who is only 25 years old.

 

Eli Manning is only 28 years old and getting better and Brandon Jacobs is only 27 years old.

 

So these guys are still getting better.

 

And the Giants do not need to score over 21 points to win every game. All they need to do is score more then the defense gives up, and with the Giants defense that will not be to much to ask.

 

So get ready for are Giants, they will go a long way.

Fantasy Football Profile: Ronnie Brown

Ronnie Brown set the NFL ablaze with his role in the Wildcat Formation. 

Most have Brown rated a bit lower, partly because four of his 10 rushing touchdowns came in a 38-13 drubbing of the New England Patriots (he threw the other TD).  His workload was kept light with just 214 carries as he recovered from a knee injury. He still managed to gain 916 yards on the ground and 254 yards on 33 receptions. 

Prior to his knee injury in 2007, he was putting together a monster year (991 yards, five TDs in seven games) despite playing on a terrible team. The team has improved dramatically and he should be back to full strength. 

Ricky Williams turned 32 in May, and it’s a fair assumption that his 160 carries will be reduced slightly in 2009. With the addition of Pat White, it’s unlikely that Brown will play the lead role in the Wildcat Formation, but he’ll still get plenty of touches.

The Miami Dolphins’ schedule is tougher than last year. 

They face an improved New York Jets’ defense (twice), the Patriots, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers, the Tennessee Titans, and the Pittsburgh Steelers (though it’s in Week 17).

Brown’s fantasy playoff schedule consist of games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee, and the Houston Texans. Not ideal, but his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield could help his cause. 

Brown will likely go somewhere in the second round. He could even slip to the third round in smaller leagues. I’m looking for him to produce about 1,400 total yards and nine TDs.

Originally published at LestersLegends.com.

Favre Stays Retired, Why Shouldn’t the Vikes Get Michael Vick?

Ok, Michael Vick was reinstated by the NFL Commissioner now. No more talks about how horrendous were the things he did. Let’s talk football.

Right now, no team has publicly expressed interest in Vick. Seriously? That same guy that shocked the world with his highlights, sold more jerseys than almost anyone in the league in the present, former Madden cover… Anyway, that’s also for another discussion.

I bring here the possibility of Vick joining the Minnesota Vikings. Can you imagine how hard it would be to plan the defense against this franchise? As a true football fan, as I always say, with no favorite team, I have to say I would feel more than anxious to watch every single game of the Vikes.

They already have one of the greatest playmakers in the League right now on the backfield, in Adrian Peterson.

Recently drafted a Reggie Bush kind-of-guy to be a receiver, in Percy Harvin.

One of the best O-lines in the NFL.

That, leaving aside they have one of the most feared defenses in the League.

Remember that they still have a QB controversy, between Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

Also, keep in mind that what they truly expect is to develop Jackson to be a reliable starter. You have to assume most plays are designed specially for him—an agile and athletic quarterback, with a strong arm who can always run for more yards whenever the defense seems to have everything covered.

…Did that ring a bell? Vick, the experienced quarterback who previously turned things around for the Falcons, can do this all. He is an improved and approved version on Tarvaris Jackson. What would be the risk in signing him?

Favre just stated he is indeed going to remain retired (FINALLY, with all due respect). They wouldn’t need to play Vick as a starter right away, putting him as just another option for the vacant spot under center. No obvious risks there.

Besides, what’s wrong with acquiring a former Pro-Bowl quarterback for the price of a bag of potato chips?

Also, Vick has always proven to be a good presence in the locker room, hard-working, what would not create distractions among all the heavy weaponry in this offense.

Man, you have to say that would be a thrilling team to watch, a threat to every team, a Super Bowl bet, besides the possibility of the creation of a new dynasty.

True football fans have to feel thrilled with the possibility to watch the beginning of a new historic team. Every game would be a highlight tape. Afff, I’m getting goose bumps.

How do YOU feel?

Martellus Bennett: Dallas Cowboys’ Offensive Breakout Player Of The Year

For those of you who don’t know, one can’t simply introduce a personality or life force as vibrant and unique as Martellus Bennett with just any type of vanilla introduction.

That is why, after cogitating on the subject much longer than I probably should have, I decided the most fitting way to introduce the wider Bleacher Report community to the phenomenon known as Marty B. would be with the lyrics of one of the greatest musical groups of the past few decades.

A group that has released no less than 10 albums, has worked on countless television and movie projects, and has even taken home an Oscar.

Yes folks, I can think of no better way to eulogize the up-and-coming talent that is Martellus Bennett than with an album title of a group containing wordsmiths the likes of which have not graced the face of the planet since The Bard himself.

I am, of course, referring to the pride of Memphis, TN, Three 6 Mafia, who titled their acclaimed 2005 release The Most Known Unknown.

While the import of such a poignant title is knee-weakening for most, thankfully Juicy J felt the need to elaborate further on the album’s intro by explaining:

A lotta people question the title they wanna know what it means. The Most Known Unknowns means that Three 6 Mafia is known, but at the same time they unknown know what I’m sayin?

Indeed.

That, my friends, is the best way I can think to describe second year Dallas Cowboys Tight End Martellus Bennett: The Most Known Unknown.

Despite what he produced on the field as a rookie, Martellus Bennett, if known by fellow NFC East or NFL fans at all, is probably best recognized for his various off-season You Tube hi-jinxes, which include regrettable forays into both rap and “athletic” event coordination for lack of a better term.

Martellus Bennett’s name might not be as unfamiliar as other young Cowboys jockeying for a spot on the roster, however I believe does in fact he falls firmly into the aforementioned Most Known Unknown category, in that, despite his You Tube fame, most non-Cowboys fans can’t even mentally summon a reception Martellus Bennett made last year.

That factor alone will be the most crucial in Bennett’s breakout season, because a closer look at both his physical skills and his 2008 production will demonstrate that Martellus Bennett is on the fast track to resounding success with the Dallas Cowboys.

Standing at an impressive 6’6″, 265 lbs., Martellus Bennett strikes an imposing and intimidating figure no matter where he lines up on the field.

In fact, he used that frame to play 2 full seasons of basketball at Texas A&M before quitting to focus solely on the gridiron.

As any football scout will concede, basketball and football surprisingly have a lot of transferable skills (for tight ends especially) because both sports demand high levels of hand-eye coordination and complicated footwork, exhibit A of course being Antonio Gates, a Pro Bowl tight end who didn’t play a single down of NCAA football but rather devoted his entire career at Kent State to playing basketball.

The scouting report on Bennett composed by Scouts, Inc. before Bennett’s rookie year points out how the athleticism he gained on the court has carried over onto the football field, where Bennett has already learned to use his size and athleticism to his advantage.

As a blocker, Martellus Bennett could be classified as above average. 

There is obviously much the tight end, being so young, still has to learn about the run game in the NFL. However, scouts praise his ability to get under the pads opposing linebackers and defensive ends despite being so tall, which is probably the hardest part about run blocking for tall, lanky tight ends such as Bennett.

Scouts are also extremely impressed with Bennett’s motor in the run game, praising his ability to sustain blocks and keep his feet running until he hears the whistle.

The above positives are definitely steps in the right direction in the run game, but it is in the pass game where Martellus Bennett will make the largest impact in 2009.

Scouts classify his speed as “above average,” but fast enough to stretch the seams in the defense and put pressure on linebackers and safeties in the middle of the field. He combines this speed with great body control and the ability to catch the ball with his hands away from his body when balls are thrown outside his frame.

Whether or not a receiver catches the ball away from his body or not is a small yet very crucial distinction. When a receiver doesn’t have confidence in their hands, they often try to let the ball come to them and “trap” it against their chest pads.

This is problematic for two reasons. 

Primarily, most NFL quarterbacks have arms like Howitzer cannons, and there is no guarantee that even the savviest NFL wide receiver will be able to control a ball thrown with that force as it is ricocheting between his sternum and forearms at 6,000 repetitions a second. 

Anybody who has watched T.O. play for any extended period of time will gladly point out that this is the main driver behind the large number of balls T.O. drops each season.  He too often lets balls he cannot control get into his chestpad and ends up putting on the ground.

Also, even if the receiver has become fairly skilled at wrangling in balls by trapping them against his breastplate, it takes longer to secure a ball trying to trap it than if the ball was caught with the receiver’s hands extended away from his body.

In other words, if a receiver (or tight end in this case) is crushed immediately after they catch the ball, they will have a much greater chance at holding onto the ball if they have the ball secured the second it hits their hands rather than having the ball bouncing between their chest plate and forearms.

Martellus Bennett is confident in his hands, and catches the ball away from his body whenever possible, which led Scouts Inc. to extol his ability to catch the ball in traffic by using his huge frame to shield impinging defenders.

These skills, combined with Bennett’s leaping ability, make him a phenomenal red zone option on jump balls against small and undersized defensive backs when he lines up in the slot, a place where Bennett lined up frequently in college and already feels comfortable.

Even at this young age, the most impressive thing about Martellus Bennett is how much further he is along mentally than most rookie receivers.

Scouts, Inc. goes out of its way to laud Bennett’s ability to release against NFL linebackers trying to jam him at the line, as well as his uncanny ability to read defenses on the run and find the seams to get open.

Pad level in the passing game is just as crucial as it is in the run game, and, more often than not, young, lanky tight ends often struggle keeping their pads low when they release from the line against NFL linebackers.

Since all contact on receivers is allowed within the first 5 yards, if a tall and lanky young tight end like Bennett doesn’t stay low enough on his release, he ends up getting knocked on his tail by the likes of 6’1″ Ray Lewis or 6’1″ Patrick Willis as they put their helmets into his armpit as he tries to run around them.

Bennett has already learned this necessity, and the significance of mastering the ability to release against must stronger and faster NFL linebackers at this young of an age cannot be overstated.

As I have mentioned in previous articles, oftentimes an NFL receiver is given multiple routes on the same play, and doesn’t decide on which of the routes he is running until halfway through the play, when he is able to read and react to the rotations of the defense.

This can often be the toughest part for young wide receivers for a few reasons.

NFL defenses don’t stop moving and shifting until literally right before the snap, making pre-snap diagnoses of defensive locations fairly daunting.

Also, NFL defenders are so much faster than defenders in college that route running decisions have to be made in a much more contracted time frame than they had to in college.

The fact that Bennett, according to Scout’s Inc., already has a great feel for reading NFL defenses and finding seams to get open means he can spend a lot more time focusing on the physical minutiae of the NFL game earlier than most young players because of his inherent feel for reading defenses.

Clearly, Bennett has the physical tools to succeed in the NFL, and Bennett’s body of work during his rookie season is indicative of the promise demonstrated in his scouting report.

In 2008, Bennett recorded 20 catches for 283 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Those numbers are not significant on an aggregate basis, but a deeper dive elucidates the true significance of those numbers.

In 2008, Martellus Bennett caught a touchdown on 20% of his passes, speaking to his value in the red zone. 

To put that in perspective, Jason Witten caught 4 touchdowns in 81 reception, while Bennett caught 4 touchdowns in a mere 20.

Bennett also averaged 14.2 yards per reception in 2008, a number that ranked third among all tight ends in the NFL.

All of these numbers were put up in a year where Tony Romo missed three games, and Bennett was probably anywhere from the 3rd to 5th option on every single pass play, and not even the starter at his position.

On any given pass play in 2008, chances are Bennett was behind T.O., Jason Witten, Roy Williams, and any running back that happened to be in the play as a check down option.

That fact alone, perhaps, is the most intriguing when trying to prognosticate Bennett’s 2009 performance, because while not being a starter would seem to be a detrimental factor to Bennett, it will in fact be the single most important determinant of his breakout 2009 campaign.

Even with T.O. gone, Tony Romo still has a plethora of options in the passing game. 

From Roy Williams to Jason Witten to Patrick Crayton to whatever young wide receiver prevails in the Hurd-Austin-Stanback wide receiver battle, on most plays Martellus will be at best a tertiary concern for most opposing defenses.

And as has been demonstrated above, Martellus Bennett has the size and skills that are by no means indicative of a tertiary option on any pass play on any team in this league.

Not only will defenses be concerned with the other options in the passing game before they even think of dealing with Bennett, the affluence of talent the Cowboys have in the backfield should serve to further exacerbate the amount of pressure Bennett is able to put on opposing defenses in 2009.

Bennett’s ability to release against NFL linebackers on passing plays has already been illustrated. However, if Jason Garrett is worth the money he is being paid, he will find an intuitive and effective method of deployment for the three talented running backs he has at his disposal.

If used effectively, the punishing triumvirate of running backs in Dallas should serve to gain some yards early against opposing defenses, which will make the defense that much more vulnerable to play action as the game progresses.

Since linebackers must guard against the run before they worry about the pass, more often than not a linebacker’s first step will be towards the line of scrimmage, giving the linebacker momentum to keep running towards the line if the ball is handed to the running back.

It is this first step that often gets linebackers in trouble when play action is run, for if the backers do not recognize the play action fast enough they could easily loose a step or two on whatever back or tight end they are responsible for covering.

Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be a big deal, as most linebackers are saved by a safety hanging over the top when they are burned by tight ends on play action.

Again, I must draw attention to the fact that Martellus is the second tight end in the Cowboys offense while possessing the receiving capabilities of a primary receiving option. 

An opposing defense, if they do have safety help on play action, will most likely be directing their deep attention to either Roy Williams or Jason Witten, preferring to deal with the lesser of three evils in Martellus Bennett.

Therefore, if Jason Garrett can establish the running game early and set up the play action pass, Martellus’ speed up the seams and his ability to effectively release against jamming NFL linebackers should leave him wide open in the soft spot the defense inadvertently leaves open as they try to take away Roy Williams and Jason Witten.

If Jason Garrett can put this amalgamation of talent together in a productive way, we could see the birth of the first permanent two-tight end system that the NFL has ever seen.

Imagine the competitive advantage this could provide, an advantage that could absolutely be leveraged in conjunction with the run game in a way equally as revolutionary as the Wild Cat offense popularized by Miami this year.

(A quick side note: Bennett has already coined a nickname for himself and Witten: “Beans and Rice,” a moniker referring both to the tight ends’ skin color, as well as to the relative “spice” of their opposing personalities.)

At the end of the day, Martellus Bennett, off season ridiculousness aside, has enough natural talent and size to become an extremely successful NFL tight end, one that can succeed and be productive in a second string role that compliments Jason Witten in two tight end formations in a way most NFL defenses have never experienced before.

Bennett’s 2008 numbers absolutely foreshadow the unique threat he can pose to defenses that come to Dallas for seasons to come.  Hopefully this article will now lend you some football perspective with which to judge Marty B’s You Tube clips with.

However if there is one thought I can leave you with regarding Martellus Bennett it would be this: whether before this season he was known or unknown to you, I guarantee the production he puts up in the first half of the 2009 season will far outpace the You Tube attention he received this offseason.

If Martellus was the most Known Unknown before the season, I’m not quite sure what crunk nickname I could possibly create that would be simultaneously as telling and fitting.

However, I think I’ll concern myself more to tracking Bennett’s successes on the field in 2009.

I have Juicy J on retainer until Friday if I need a better nickname before then.

The Lawsuit Against Ben Roethlisberger Has Too Many Shady Facts to the Story

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What’s Bugging Me? Is a weekly column that can be found at FantasyPros911.com

What’s bugging me this week? The ambiguity of the Ben Roethlisberger saga.

Last week, an employee of Harrah’s casino in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, filed a civil lawsuit against the Steelers quarterback, claiming that he sexually assaulted her in a penthouse from the hotel.

The 31-year-old Andrea McNulty claims that after she met Roethlisberger one afternoon in the hotel lobby, he raped her when she showed up to repair a broken TV he complained about. Apparently, this all took place in the month of July 2008.

No, that is not a typo. I said July 2008, not July 2009.

For the record, I am not taking sides about who is right in this situation. Unfortunately, the only ones who truly know what happened that day are Roethlisberger and McNulty. However, it’s hard not to consider the timing of this news story.

The fact that this story is coming out over a year after it took place makes the entire situation shady. These types of situations should be reported hours after they happen, days at the most. So if this accusation is true, why would McNulty wait an entire year before she went public about it?

According to reports, McNulty claims in the lawsuit that Harrah’s officials did everything they could to cover up the case when she first reported it the next day. Instead of performing an investigation, they tried to silence her.

Another report from WPXI in Pittsburgh claimed that McNulty has been treated for depression and anxiety five different times at five different medical facilities, all while returning to work.

Also, McNulty claims in the report that the reason she stayed away from the outside authorities to file a criminal complaint is because of her fear of getting fired. Apparently, Roethlisberger is a friend of Harrah’s regional president: John Koster.

At this point, there are numerous accusations that the media and fans around the NFL can make about the situation.

Some of them claim that McNulty is just another person trying to fatten her wallet from a well-known athlete, since she is coming out with the complaint a year later. Others are accusing Roethlisberger of taking advantage not only of another woman, but of his stardom as a popular NFL Quarterback.

As far as Roethlisberger is concerned, he claims that this woman’s accusations are ridiculous and he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family and reputation. He claims that he would never do such a thing to a woman and the truth will come out over time as he is willing to work with investigators to get to the bottom of this case.

At this point, it’s hard to believe who is right and who is wrong. All we can do over the next couple of weeks is wait-and-out and see who the real victim is.

 

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This article was originally posted on FantasyPros911.com

Dan Parzych covers the Eagles for www.NFLTouchdown.com and is a columnist at FantasyPros911.com

You can follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Eagles_FanVoice.

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