It’s (Mile) High Time For Josh McDaniels To Show What He’s Got

OK, Josh McDaniels, show us what you’ve got.

The time has come for the 33-year-old hotshot head coach of the Denver Broncos to silence all the critics and prove that he is the second coming when his team opens training camp Friday at Dove Valley.

New quarterback Kyle Orton will be there. All the rookies—OK, we’re still waiting on first-rounders Knowshon Moreno and Robert Ayers—will be in attendance. Shoot, hotheaded wide receiver Brandon Marshall is even here.

But make no bones about it.

Even with all the free agents brought in this offseason, all the rookies—and there are plenty of them, 10 in all—and all the holdovers from the Mike Shanahan regime, when the first of two practices starts Friday morning at 8:30 a.m., all eyes will be on McDaniels.

Hoodie Junior, as he’s been affectionately called as a reference to his mentor, New England’s Bill Belichick, has turned Broncos Country upside down ever since he was named head coach in January.

Now, all things considered, that may not be such a bad thing.

Consider that the Broncos were the first team in NFL history to blow a three-game division lead with three games last year, and had a defense with more holes than swiss cheese, change may be a good thing.

But his very public spat with incumbent quarterback Jay Cutler is what comes to mind first and foremost when people think about McDaniels.

Almost as quickly as McDaniels arrived in time, Cutler had a one-way ticket out, courtesy of a blockbuster deal with the Chicago Bears that brought Orton into the fold.

Behind Cutler and Marshall, the 2008 Broncos had an offense that was second to none when it came to moving the ball between the 20’s. It was getting into the end zone that was a problem. Hopefully, McDaniels and his offensive prowess can fix that problem. But he’ll after to do that without the services of Cutler.

He’ll have to do that with an injury-proned Marshall, who despite demanding a trade and having concerns with both the new head coach and the training staff, reported to camp on time.

That said, maybe McDaniels can keep the offensive chugging along with a more balanced attack than what Denver was able to utilize last season, after a plethora of running back injuries rattled the team.

That’s of course depended on Moreno signing his rookie deal and getting into camp.
Come Friday, Broncos fans will get to see for themselves whether McDaniels was the right choice to replace Shanahan. For his sake, I hope so.

Like Father, Like Son: John Mara Continues His Father’s Level-Headed Legacy

Giants President John Mara knows the value of keeping quiet.

The son of longtime Giants owner Wellington Mara, John grew up around one of the NFL’s most dignified, level-headed men, a multi-millionaire blessed with common sense.

When his father spoke, people listened. Throughout his decades as the Giants’ owner, Wellington Mara did everything from help secure the NFL’s first TV broadcasting deal to marshal support for the most recent collective bargaining agreement.

Wellington Mara’s reasonable and responsible thinking always carried weight.

So when New York district attorney Robert Morgenthau ominously suggested today that Antonio Pierce might be charged as an accessory in the Plaxico Burress case, Mara did something that might have made his father very proud.

He called the idea ridiculous.

In a statement released this afternoon, Mara wrote that he “cannot understand the DA’s position that Antonio is subject to criminal charges.”

“When this incident occurred,” the statement reads, “Antonio reacted out of concern for the health and well-being of Plaxico Burress. His first priority was to make sure Plaxico received proper medical attention for what very well could have been a life-threatening wound.”

“There was no criminal intent,” it continues, “on the part of Antonio, who was thrust into this predicament simply because he accompanied Plaxico that evening and because he made the decision to immediately take Plaxico to the hospital. We believe it is unwarranted for the DA’s office to press criminal charges against Antonio under these circumstances.”

In an era in which “No comment” is the response of choice for people in his position, Mara opted instead to say something completely reasonable.

Pierce is neither a hardened criminal nor a shady, irresponsible enabler. And Mara stuck up for him at a crucial moment in what has been an unusually testy and unpredictable episode for both the Giants and the New York District Attorney’s office.

There wasn’t much for Mara to gain by opening his mouth about this case. He and the rest of the Giants’ organization has stayed mostly silent, choosing to avoid possibly inflaming Morgenthau and Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who has also taken interest in the Burress case.

But like his father, Mara will go to bat for his players. And in a moment when Pierce could have been unnecessarily caught up in the public’s ongoing trial of fans versus athletes, John Mara showed that the Giants are still in good, common sensical hands.

Let’s Talk About the Detroit Lions and the Playoffs

There are certain things that playoff teams (generally) have in common.

It is obviously not a revelation that the Detroit Lions lacked most of these things last season, but they have certainly added a large influx of talent this year, potentially making them a threat to compete for a playoff spot in a wide open division that thankfully won’t be bothered by the presence of a purple—headed gun slinger.

Let’s take a look at what last year’s playoff teams did well and how the Lions could potentially measure up:

Obviously there were some very different styles in the playoffs last season, including powerful offenses (Arizona), smash mouth defenses (Baltimore, Tennessee, et. al.) and ball control run-oriented teams (Miami, Atlanta).

 

I’m not sure how to classify the Jim Schwartz—led Lions yet, but these are some of the characteristics shared by most of last season’s playoff teams: All quarterbacks had a rating higher than 80.0; no offense gave up more sacks than their defense registered; all defenses had at least 10 interceptions.

I also included a couple extra categories that are basics for good teams:

– Seven of 12 playoff teams had three offensive players (non—quarterbacks) account for at least 3,000 yards of total offense. All 12 would have shared this characteristic, but five teams had one of their top three offensive contributors miss time. Indy was without Joseph Addai, who averaged 63 yards per game, for four games.

Philly lost Brian Westbrook, who averaged more than 90 total yards per game, for two games. Miami was without receiver Greg Camarillo, who averaged 67 yards per game, for five games. Baltimore was without Willis McGahee and his 65 yards per game for three games and Pittsburgh was without Willie Parker and his 73 yards per game for five games.

Basically, three guys on playoff teams should average 1,000 yards or more each of total offense.

– Eleven of 12 playoff teams had a defensive player register 100 or more tackles. All 12 would have, but Antonio Pierce, who was averaging more than six per game for the Giants, missed a game and finished the season at 94.

So let’s see how the Lions compare:

 

Quarterback Rating:

No Lions quarterback who saw significant time last season had a rating over 73.

Outlook:With Daunte Culpepper and his 63.9 rating as the only holdover from last season’s top three, joined by rookie Matt Stafford and untested Drew Stanton, this appears to be the biggest question mark. Culpepper hasn’t had a rating above 80 since 2004-2005.

 

Yards of Offense:

The Lions were surprisingly close to having three guys account for 3,000 yards of offense last season. Unfortunately, most of that was from two guys. Calvin Johnson and 1,331 receiving yards and Kevin Smith had 1,262 all-purpose yards. Unfortunately, the third most productive player, Shaun McDonald, had only 332 yards.               

Outlook:Johnson and Smith are both back and should improve. With an improved supporting cast, which now includes Bryant Johnson, Maurice Morris, Brandon Pettigrew and Dennis Northcutt, it shouldn’t be hard to find a third player more productive than McDonald was last season.

 

Sacks Allowed vs. Sacks Registered:

The Lions gave up 52 sacks last season and the defense only had 28, that’s a pretty huge discrepancy.

Outlook: The good news? Jim Schwartz oversaw a Titans defense that had 42 sacks last season?

The bad news, part one? No one on the Lions will be mistaken for Albert Haynesworth. The bad news, part two? The offensive line is virtually the same cast of guys who gave up 52 sacks last year.

 

Tackles:

Hey, the Lions get a break here. Ernie Sims had more than 100 tackles last year and has had more than 100 each of his three years in the league.

Outlook: With Sims, Julian Peterson and Larry Foote, linebacker is arguably the strongest spot on the team. The Lions should be able to tackle better next season.

 

Interceptions:

As we know, the Lions did not cause many turnovers last year. They had only four interceptions.

Outlook: The secondary is nearly entirely new with rookie Louis Delmas, Anthony Henry (though his position is still undecided) and Phillip Buchanon. Training camp invitee Otis Wiley is also in the mix and they just signed veteran Will James. The Titans had 20 picks under Schwartz last season. Most of this relies on whether the pass rush can improve…opposing quarterbacks had a lot of time last season.

Basically, this crude analysis proves nothing. But it is interesting to see that the Lions aren’t too far off from being a competitive team.

The question marks are still at quarterback and and on both lines, but as long as those units can improve to just mediocre, the playoffs shouldn’t be out of the question in the NFC North, especially with this guy still around. For the first time in quite a while, there is some hope for decent football in Detroit.

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Read more Patrick Hayes every day at It’s Just Sports.

Brett Favre To Stay Retired…For Now

The saga that has become the Brett Favre watch took its latest turn on Tuesday when Favre told the Minnesota Vikings he would remain retired and not join them for the upcoming season. Call me a skeptic, but I’ve been down this road too many times with Favre to believe him quite yet.

There were the many long springs and summers that Favre put Packer fans through during the better part of this decade—unwilling to make a decision on his career until it was convenient for him, without any regard for teammates, management, or fans. Everyone just chalked it up to Favre going through personal issues with his family and needing time to clear his head.

Favre finally did retire from the Packers on March 4 of last year. Many felt it was a classy end to a Hall of Fame career, while doubters claimed it was only a matter of time before he returned. Favre proved the doubters right when he requested the Packers to release him in his first attempt to get to the Vikings.

After being traded to the Jets, Favre showed New York fans, media, and players what many have since found out: Favre isn’t all he’s cracked up to be. By the end of the season, fans had turned on him, the media had criticized him for his play, and even teammates questioned his commitment to them.

Favre again retired from football, but it wasn’t long after that talk came up of Favre longing to return to the game, this time with the Vikings. Minnesota would have been a great fit for Favre. They have a solid defense, a great running game, and play most of their games in domes, which would have benefited Favre by not having to play in bad weather late in the season.

Be clear on one thing, though: Favre was not coming back for any of those reasons. His return was to be solely a giant middle finger to Packers’ General Manager Ted Thompson. The two never had a good relationship and Favre views Thompson as the one to boot him out of Green Bay.

After Favre refused surgery to repair his injured arm, many thought he was done for good. He then decided to go through with the surgery, which signaled to most that his return was imminent.

Today the news came that Favre would not join the Vikings, but late word has come out that he will continue to throw and test his arm and shoulder. For those that see the real Brett Favre, this will come as no surprise. He is simply trying to buy more time to hold on to his hope of sticking it to Thompson.

Please click on the following link to read the rest of this article.

Vikings! Quick, Grab Michael Vick!

Brett Favre has made a decision. 

He will not play for the Vikings this season. 

In a breaking AP article, Favre was reported as having called Vikings coach Brad Childress to inform him of his decision. He stated that the reason for his decision was that he did not believe that his body could stand up to another NFL season. 

The response by the Vikings should be swift.

If you want to at least repeat the success of last season, you must get a quarterback that can make a few big plays. 

Tarvaris Jackson simply makes too many mistakes. Sage Rosenfels has never been the answer… anywhere.

Vick will obviously not be available until October, and even after he comes back he may not be able to function as a capable NFL quarterback in a West Coast offense. 

What Vick does bring to the table is that he has experience in both regular season games that matter and has won a big playoff game. He did so while playing in an Atlanta system that implemented a strong running game and made use of his big arm for play action and vertical passing. 

Atlanta would later move to a system that featured a shorter passing game, which was intended to make reads easier for Vick. It didn’t work. 

Vick has shown throughout his history that he will probably never be the type of quarterback that completes more than 60 percent of his passes, makes the perfect read, and consistently delivers the short pass to the running back or tight end on the check-down. 

What he can do though, is escape pressure. He can also throw a great deep ball. Usually, he can do both at the same time.

If the Minnesota running game can continue to be as strong as it has been, Vick could be exactly what this team needs. Not only can he deliver the ball once the safeties move up, but he can also advance the football with his feet.

Having Vick would force opposing defenses to slow their pursuit when the ball goes to Adrian Peterson. Along with Bernard Berrian, this team would be loaded with the kind of speed that can break a game wide open.

Michael Vick may not be considered the quarterback of the future anymore. He probably isn’t a long term answer for the Vikings either. However, by focusing on the skills and abilities that he naturally has, a talented Vikings team could find itself in a much better situation than it has been recently, hoping that an old veteran from Mississippi will answer their prayers.

5 Preseason Storylines For the Redskins

Finally, the summertime blues are over and football is back! Camps are opening up this week and big personel questions loom over all NFL teams.

The Washington Redskins are no exception, after finishing in last place in the NFC East last season they have several holes to fill. Along with some juicy melodrama carrying over from the offseason.

This story is going to attempt to analyze preseason plots, that will affect the 2009 regular season. There will not be a slide on Jason Campbells feelings, or Dan Snyders inability to save draft picks. We will not discuss Jim Zorn’s butt roasting on the hotseat.

These slides are dedicated to things that will play out on the football field in the preseason. You know when the games don’t count for anything. The wins and losses may not mean much but completion percentage, injuries, field goal percentage, pass blocking and special teams sure as hell mean a lot.

Here we go; 5 preseason storylines for the Washington Redskins

Aaron Rodgers Must Take Next Step to Erase Ghosts of Brett Favre

I want to start by saying I was among the few Packer fans who applauded when Aaron Rodgers plummeted on draft day and Green Bay had the forward thinking to draft him. I was literally talking to the TV with each passing pick, hoping he would fall. 

Subsequently, I was one of the Packer fans who questioned whether Rodgers would ever be half the quarterback Brett Favre was after he struggled to assimilate in a back-up role to a man he seemed not to realize was a legend and state hero (until recently at least).

Somewhere along the line though, he figured it out. He had his struggles in pre-season, like every young quarterback does.

He got some hand-off duty playing behind the greatest iron man in the history of professional football and maybe all of sports. But somewhere in there, it clicked for the former Pac-10 standout.

He showed up on a Thursday night after Brett Favre went down with a mysterious injury during a pummeling at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys. Luckily it was on NFL Network, so no one really saw it. In fact, I had to go to a local bar and watch.

What fans saw that night was not the cocky California boy who didn’t take kindly to a back-up role. No, what we saw was the transformation of a young player ready to take the next step.

Of course, Favre came back the next game, and Rodgers resumed his clipboard holding. But life had taken an inescapable detour for Aaron Rodgers. He had proven he was ready to take over for the only quarterback a generation of Packer fans had ever known.

No one needs to be reminded of what followed, from the famous Favre interception that cost the Packers a chance at a Super Bowl that year, or the retirement, reinstatement, trade, re-retirement, and potential re- reinstatement although it’s not a re- reinstatement because he never officially retired, just wanted to play somewhere else and now my head hurts.

In his first full season as a starter, Rodgers dazzled, finishing fourth in the league in passing yards while tossing more than twice as many touchdowns as interceptions.

The stats are nice. It was one of the greatest statistical seasons in Packers history, including anything No. 4 ever put up. But the final board said six wins and ten losses.

That just won’t cut it in cheesehead country.

John Madden once talked about how great Favre was in terms of his ability to impact not just one game, but the entirety of a season. He would say that Brett Favre was so good, that by himself he was worth eight victories.

In his prime, he definitely was. It is A-Rod’s turn to put himself in that class.

The Packers have five legitimate threats at the receiver position, not to mention a proven tight end to go along with an extremely talented young one.

The running game should be improved with the health of Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson, not to mention some stability on the offensive line. Coach Mike McCarthy loves the play-action pass, and it could really help improve the Packers pathetic red zone offense.

Without these things in place, Rodgers put up incredible numbers last season, despite battling injuries himself. The Packers lost a ton of close games and could have very easily been a playoff team.

There will be no excuses this year, especially now that you know who isn’t going you know where.

When the defense gets a huge turnover, it’s time to put it in the end zone instead of between the uprights. When the team gets in the red zone, it is time to score 6 instead of 3.

When the game is on the line and you need a field goal to win it, it’s time to get to the 15-yard line, not the 35-yard line. When you have a man running down the seam, it’s time to hit him in stride instead of off target so has to make a diving catch, nullifying a sure touchdown.

What’s more than that Aaron Rodgers, it is time to live the kind of maturity and growth you’ve talked about since what’s his name left Green Bay.

If you want to be talked about on a first-name basis like Brett, or Peyton, or Tom, then it is time to show you are worth eight victories a year.

It is time to show you can carry a team to a division crown, a playoff berth, and be a threat in the NFC despite living in the biggest shadow in franchise history.

Packer fans were scared to let Brett Favre play in Minnesota because of what it might mean for that offense and that team next door.

It means more to Green Bay.

Because if Aaron Rodgers could have matched Brett Favre blow for blow in a head to head match-up, then not only was Ted Thompson right in letting Brett go play in New York, but the Packers have taken the next step. Aaron Rodgers had taken the next step.

Rodgers won’t have that burden now, but that is all the more reason why he ought to succeed. In fact, with the confidence of the QB’s in Minny shattered, the Packers have as good a chance as any to win the North outright.

The fans at Lambeau cheering for the Green Bay Packers are the best fans in the world. Everyone says that, but it is only true in Green Bay.

They’re ready for Aaron Rodgers to take the next step. They want him to. Aaron wants it too. He seems ready. Now all he has to do, is take it. The elusive next step.

Brett Favre Has A Charitable Side Not Often Featured

Now that Brett Favre has decided to stay retired, the Internet will turn sluggish under the weight of the hits.

In all the stories, however, I wonder how many will focus on Brett Favre, the man.

In some communities, organizations and homes, this unbelievably long—lived NFL quarterback may be known more for his off—the—field charitable work.

On his website, For the Love of the Game, the future Hall of Famer said his Brett Favre Fourward Foundation donated more than $1.5 million to disadvantaged and disabled children in Mississippi and Wisconsin.

However, that may be a typo, because his foundation is reported by other sources to have raised more than $3 million, which is the amount listed on his wife’s part of the Web site, titled Deanna Favre Hope Foundation.

It’s unimportant because either amount is a lot of money, and as important as the money is the publicity that any Favre donation will draw.

That often means more donations by others.

His star power also brings publicity to the causes he supports, which works in society to make us all more tolerant and knowledgeable.

What isn’t known, in the end, is how much Favre’s example influences others, but I’m sure he has helped in ways he may never know.

He has devoted a lot of time to fundraising dinners and his celebrity softball tournament, in addition to other efforts.

I don’t know all of the organizations that have benefited from Favre, but they include the Back—to—School Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club, CASA of Brown County, Make—A—Wish Foundation, Rawhide Ranch, Special Olympics, United Cerebral Palsy, Wisconsin Whitewater, and Special Olympics.

Admittedly, Favre is a good man.

Favre’s wife, Deanna, has also done a lot of good by calling attention to a modern day plague: breast cancer.

As a young woman of only 35 years old, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, in 2004.

Deanna has used her story as an opportunity to increase awareness of breast exams, mammograms, as well as sharing a story that other women can identify with.

She has done a lot of the work for their foundation, and she is called the “rock” behind their relationship on their Web site.

Reading about her cancer, and her faith in God, it is easy to see why they have combined to form such a wonderful foundation.

I hope they can continue their work as Favre enters a new stage in his life, but I don’t think he will be out of football for long.

His passion is football and he was very good at it, some say great at it.

One way or another, he’ll be back, whether it’s on TV or in a book, or some other format.

That’s as it should be. He’s earned it.

Lastly, more important than Brett Favre the great quarterback, is Brett Favre, the good, decent man.

Jim Johnson Loses Battle With Cancer: A Giant Fan’s Perspective

The NFL lost yet another one of its great sons.

Jim Johnson, former defensive coordinator of the legendary Eagle defenses of this decade, has died at 68. He is survived by his wife, Vicky, two children, and four grandchildren.

Jim Johnson spent 22 years in the NFL as an assistant, never taking the next step to becoming a head coach. However, that does not in any way taint his legacy.

Johnson will forever be known for the continued evolution of today’s defense. His blitz packages and defensive schemes propelled the Eagles to five NFC championships and one Super Bowl.

He entered the league as a defensive line coach and held that title for Arizona for four years. He then held the position of secondary coach, where he excelled and made a name for himself.

In 1994, he became the linebackers coach for the Colts before eventually becoming interim defensive coordinator in 1996. The Colts finished last in the AFC East and he and the rest of the staff were fired.

He first saw a measure of success when he took over as the Seattle linebackers coach. The Seahawks scored 10 defensive touchdowns, including eight interception returns, which is the second most in NFL history for a season.

Before the Seahawks could promote him, Andy Reid snatched him up in 1999, and the rest is history. The two would see seven playoff appearances, and the playoff success is noted above.

Andy Reid gave him complete control of the defense, showing how much respect he showed for Johnson.

As a Giants’ fan, I have the utmost respect for the man and coach. Every time the Giants played the Eagles, the two would battle it out and Johnson always had something new to throw at the Giants.

I almost have to thank Jim Johnson, for Steve Spagnuolo was one of the main reasons the Giants won the Super Bowl in 2007. Spagnuolo mentored under Johnson from 1999-2006 before taking over the defensive coordinators job in New York.

Earlier this week, the Eagles named Sean McDermott as the defensive coordinator for the 2009 season. When asked what impact Johnson had on his life, he had this to say:

“What haven’t I learned from Jim?” McDermott said. “I don’t think it would be fair to Jim, in this setting, to try and limit in one statement, one press conference, the effect that Jim has had on my life.”

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin did not know him personally, but had this to say about him:

“He was great to work with and for, and he had his priorities in order,” Coughlin said. “His players loved to play for him and his coaches loved to coach with him. It is a sad day for the National Football League to lose somebody the quality of Jim Johnson. It is a sad note on which to start the season.”

It is a sad day for the NFL. While the Eagles and the NFL will not forget Johnson, they are forced to move on without him.

Johnson’s impact will not be forgotten by anyone, including this Giants fan.

Jim Johnson Embodied Philadelphia

There are few athletes, coaches or owners who spend time in Philadelphia and leave an everlasting mark with some of the most critical fans in America.

Philadelphia fans are a rare bread. You are not always judged by wins and losses. You are judged by character, determination, fight, and resiliency. Some of the names that come to mind are Tug McGraw, Reggie White, and John Vukovich.

Now you can add Jim Johnson’s name to that list after he lost his battle with cancer on Tuesday night at the age of 68.

Similar to some, he did not win a championship in Philadelphia. But in all honesty, the fans of Philadelphia could care less if Jim Johnson was a part of parade down Broad Street.

He did not need to validate his career or prove anything to anybody. The fans knew he was tough. They knew if he lost he would get right back up look the opponent in the eye and say, “Okay, let me see you do it again.”

He was famous for implementing the bend-don’t-break defense. Sure, you could move the ball between the 20s every now and then against one of Johnson’s units, but you were not going to get into the endzone.

In 2001 the Eagles became the fourth team in NFL history to allow 21 points or less for the entire season.

Some of the stats are incredible, but the fans will remember more how the Eagles did it. There will be stories shared among friends, dads and sons, and fellow Eagles fans about the greatest defensive performances during Jim Johnson’s tenure.

Two stick out in my mind.

I will never forget the defensive effort from the Eagles defense against Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons in the 2004 NFC Championship Game. Everyone feared that Vick would get to the perimeter and burn the Eagles with his athletic ability.

Johnson was too smart for that. He allowed Vick to dance around in the pocket. He instilled discipline in an aggressive defense and it worked the entire game. Vick had nowhere to run and nowhere to pass. Johnson made it look easy.

Occasionally Johnson sprinkled in a blitz to remind Vick he did not go soft.

I will also never forget the performance the Eagles had against the Cowboys in the 2008 season finale which clinched a playoff berth for the Eagles. The Eagles defense forced four turnovers (special teams forced one as well).

Two of the turnovers were returned for touchdowns, which meant the Eagles outscored the entire Cowboys team 14-6.

It was nothing short of spectacular and it came against the city’s most hated rival.

The fans will also remember Johnson’s ability to get the most out of his players week to week and year to year.

Johnson arrived in South Philly in 1999 and he helped to produce 27 of the 49 Eagles Pro Bowlers during his tenure here.

Not only did he help develop players, but head coaches as well. Stave Spagnuolo and John Harbaugh learned under the tutelage of Johnson and are now head coaches in the NFL.

To the fans, Johnson was humble. He kept to himself and never wanted to be in the spotlight. He turned down coaching vacancies because he was intent on helping produce those great players and coaches.

The fans appreciated what he did here because they saw him as a man of character who was filled with determination, fight, and resiliency.

 

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