Should the Philadelphia Eagles Sign Vick?

At the gym this morning on the treadmill while watching the local news, I couldn’t help but notice Todd Pinkston introduced as a wide receivers coach for my Eagles.

Stinkston (and Trash), as to he was reverently referred to during his stint in Philadelphia, is going to be passing his trade secrets on to the wide receivers on the Eagles’ offense.

I figured if the organization was willing to bring him back to teach our young receivers how to short arm a pass in traffic, that perhaps hell did in fact freeze over and Andy Reid may have actually finally lost his mind. If this is the case, why not take a serious look at Michael Vick since everything is fair game?

First, Vick won’t cost a lot of money, and he’ll be happy just to be in the league again. Translation: if we ask him to ride the pine and only step on the field five times a game, he’ll probably take it and keep quiet. This could work for at least the first year, and at a bargain price.

Second, we could use the depth at running back. Behind Westbrook, who else is there?

There is a rookie who, by default, has been granted the backup position by the fans without having played a single down yet (further illustrating how poor the depth at running back is here). He is followed by Lorenzo Booker, who half of us are probably surprised is even on the roster after last year’s underwhelming showing.

Don’t forget, 2008 was McNabb’s only season in the past four years where he actually stayed injury free. Unfortunately, he is not streak-free as he tended to be either incredible or down-right pathetic. Sometimes, this would happen within the same game.

Should Donovan go down, even for just a game, who would be more likely to get us through four quarters, Michael Vick or what’s-his-name again?

Imagine if two or three times a game, Vick lined up behind McNabb with D-Jack in motion. Talk about a wildcat.

For a team with as many red zone and short-yardage problems that we saw last year, this could be a recipe for success, even if only used as a decoy half the time.

Are you telling me that an offense featuring McNabb, Jackson, Westbrook, and Vick wouldn’t keep a defensive coordinator up at night?

Fantasy Football Notes: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a terrific 2008 season, capped by a 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII in head coach Mike Tomlin’s second year at the helm. However, despite the team’s success, the offense left much to be desired as the Steelers did not rank higher than 17th in any major offensive category.

Luckily, the Steelers’ boasted the premier defense in the league. The unit ranked first in points allowed, total yards allowed and passing yards allowed, while finishing second in rushing yards allowed, as they carried the team throughout the season.

Number wise, Ben Roethlisberger finished the year with 3,301 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. His favorite target continued to be Hines Ward, who led the team in receiving with 81 catches for 1,043 yards and seven touchdowns, while Santonio Holmes had 55 receptions for 821 yards and five touchdowns. (Holmes, also, made the spectacular catch over three Arizona defenders in the corner of the end zone that clinched the Super Bowl for Pittsburgh.)

Meanwhile, Willie Parker rushed for 791 yards and five touchdowns on 210 carries; splitting time with Parker was Mewelde Moore, who had 588 yards and five touchdowns on 140 attempts.

KEY ADDITION

The Steelers did not add any key players during the off-season.

KEY DEPARTURE

Byron Leftwich (QB) – Leftwich was a solid backup quarterback behind Roethlisberger; however, Big Ben, despite the numerous injuries that have befallen him, is a fairly durable quarterback, playing in 15-plus games in each of the past three seasons. Thus, the lost of Leftwich shouldn’t impact the team too greatly.

Bryant McFadden (CB) – Losing McFadden is perhaps the biggest blow the Steelers took this offseason. McFadden was a solid corner for the Steelers and he knew the system well, playing four years with the team. Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend will stay, so the secondary should remain solid, but the loss of McFadden will be felt.

Nate Washington (WR) – Washington had shown flashes of becoming a solid second-receiving option during his time in Pittsburgh, but was too inconsistent to get there. Case and point: his 2008 season. While Washington was able to find pay dirt for three straight weeks in weeks 5, 7, and 8 (Week 6 was a bye week), those were the receiver’s only scores on the year.  With the emergence of Holmes and Hines Ward not slowing down, the loss of Washington should be one the team can overcome.

ROOKIE TO WATCH

Evander Hood (DE) – One of the biggest areas that the Steelers needed to improve on during this offseason was the defensive line. In landing former Missouri defensive lineman, Evander Hood, who will play as an end for Pittsburgh, the Steelers took a huge step towards doing just that. Hood stands 6’3” and weighs 300 lbs but can move greater than his size would suggest. He looks to be a perfect fit in the Steelers’ 3-4 defense.

BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT

Ben Roethlisberger (QB) – Roethlisberger didn’t quite meet fantasy owners’ expectations in 2008 as he compiled just 17 passing TDs, a far cry from the 32 he had in 2007. Still, while fantasy owners’ may be a bit disappointed with Big Ben’s stats from last season, they cannot deny that the man rises to the occasion when the Steelers need him most. Roethlisberger is the penultimate gamer, making plays out of nothing when it counts the most. That may not make him the best fantasy QB, but it does make him fun to watch.

Rashard Mendenhall (RB) – Mendenhall missed the majority of last season after suffering a fractured shoulder in a week four matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, which also happened to be his first professional start. With Parker slowing down and Moore too inconsistent to be relied upon, Mendenhall will be counted on to play a big role this season, provided he can stay healthy. If he does, expect more than 100 carries for Mendenhall.

For more fantasy football insight and advice visit Bruno Boys Fantasy Football.

Fantasy Football Crystal Ball: Matt Ryan

Rookie quarterbacks are not supposed to play well. Rookie quarterbacks are not supposed to lead their team to the playoffs. And as fantasy football owners know, rookie quarterbacks are not supposed to be relevant in fantasy football.

Apparently, Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan did not get that memo.

Ryan was essentially handed the job upon being drafted, but as he took over a team with only one legitimate weapon in wide receiver Roddy White, most assumed the young quarterback was a year or two away from being relevant in fantasy football. Then, he goes out and throws a 62-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins on the very first attempt of his professional career.

Of course, we know now that an improved offensive line and a great free-agent addition in running back Michael Turner really helped turned the Falcons into a winner last season. Those two things also allowed Ryan to grow into the job without being overwhelmed by it at the same time. Ryan ended up having quite a successful season as he threw for 3,440 yards with 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 61.1 completion percentage.

The big question is this: Does Ryan have staying power or was last season a fluke?

The good news for Falcons’ fans is not only does Ryan have staying power, but he’s got the skill set to turn into one of the league’s top passers some day. Looking at his numbers, you can see this as his completion percentage was above 60, he had a positive touchdown-to-interception ratio, averaged more than seven yards per attempt, and posted an impressive 87.7 quarterback rating. For any player that’s pretty impressive, but for a rookie that’s incredible.

Another reason to like Ryan for the upcoming season and the future is the free agent signing of tight end Tony Gonzalez, who goes to Atlanta after an illustrious 12-year career as a Kansas City Chief. The Falcons already have a good tight end in Ben Hartsock, but his strength is blocking, whereas Gonzalez is the top pass-catching tight end in the league.

Last season, despite having to deal with three different quarterbacks in Kansas City, none of which were too good, Gonzalez caught 96 passes for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns. His presence in the lineup will help open up the offense considerably. Before, teams could focus most of their attention to running back Michael Turner and White, but now Gonzalez will add that third dimension that makes it tough for opposing defenses. In addition, Gonzalez gives Ryan a great red-zone target as White is better between the 20s and Jenkins is just too inconsistent.

Perhaps the one negative against Ryan is that at the end of the season last year he tailed off. In the last three games of the regular season, Ryan threw four interceptions with just two touchdowns, and saw his completion percentage drop from 65.2 to 54.2 to 47.6. However that is an extremely small sample size, and it did come at the end of the season, which is a tough time for rookies who haven’t adjusted to the extended schedule of the NFL. It should be noted that although Ryan did not play well in those three games, the Falcons did win all of them.

Ryan brings a lot to the table. He’s a great leader and is a lot of fun to watch on the field. He’s going to continue to grow and develop as a quarterback, and considering he’s only entering his second season, it will be interesting to how far his growth goes.

But, what Ryan also brings to the table is consistency. He has great ability to play well from week to week, and that’s something fantasy football owners love. Ryan may not go out and throw 40 touchdowns or 4,500 yards this season but from a fantasy perspective, he’s not going to lose you any games.

 

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Bengals High Five: What To Watch For During Training Camp

This season is a crucial one for everybody involved with the Cincinnati Bengals. Coach Marvin Lewis has overseen two straight losing season and can not afford a third. Quarterback Carson Palmer is entering his eighth season and can see the window on his career starting to close. And Bengals fans have endured 19 straight seasons without a playoff win and are starting to get antsy.

Those close to the team believe that the Bengals could be this year’s Arizona Cardinals, the breakout team that makes the playoffs and rides a hot streak straight to the Super Bowl. While a Super Bowl run may be too much to ask, there is no reason why the Bengals can’t squeak into the playoffs.

With the start of training camp this weekend, there are five key things that fans can watch for that will go a long way toward determining the team’s fortunes in 2009.

1) Carson Palmer’s health

Palmer has shown time and time again that he is one of the elite signal-callers in the NFL—if his offensive line can keep him upright. Last year alone, Palmer suffered a broken nose in training camp, before tearing a ligament in his throwing elbow that kept him out of the final 12 games of the season.

Without Palmer, Cincinnati turned to Ryan Fitzpatrick to lead the team and the difference was apparent. Fitzpatrick lacked the deep arm strength and accuracy of Palmer and as a result, the offense struggled mightily.

Teams stopped respecting the deep pass, began loading up on the line of scrimmage, and the Bengals couldn’t score against a junior varsity squad.

Palmer says that he is 100 percent healthy and if he is right, the offense has a chance to return to its place as one of the league’s elite. It won’t take long for fans to see if he’s right.

If he is winging passes 50 yards down the field with pinpoint accuracy, if he’s dropping long balls over defenders’ heads, if he is zipping passes in between the out-stretched arms of defensive linemen, then Palmer may truly be back.

Of course, the biggest key to Palmer’s health will be the five large gentlemen that line up in front of him. The team will have an almost completely new offensive line in 2009 and it will be crucial that they keep their QB upright.

2) Effective pass rush

The key to any successful team is its ability to protect the passer and to rush the passer. Last year, the Bengals could do neither and the team has not had an effective pass rush since the late 1990s.

To address the pass rush, Cincinnati drafted linebacker Rey Maualuga in the second round and end Michael Johnson in the third round, while signing lineman Tank Johnson and safety Roy Williams.

Along with holdovers Keith Rivers, Antawn Odom, and Rashard Jeanty, the team is hoping that its pass-rushing woes are a thing of the past.

While most of the newcomers will not play significant minutes in the preseason, any impact that they may have should be immediately noticeable. Don’t look at sack numbers, it’s a misleading statistic. Instead, look for quarterback hurries and the push at the line of scrimmage.

If the opposing offensive line continually finds itself backpedaling and there are constantly Bengals in the backfield, those will  be signs that the team can finally rush the passer.

An effective pass rush pays dividends throughout the entire defense, leading to a better run defense and more interceptions and deflections by the backfield. And, it may even win you a game or two.

3) Depth at cornerback

Other than quarterback, there may be no position that is more difficult to learn at the pro level than cornerback. An effective corner takes two, sometimes even three years to develop, and it’s easy for fans to lose patience waiting for that to happen.

The Bengals’ two starting corners, Jonathon Joseph and Leon Hall, have shown that they have what it takes to become elite cover men. Hall, one of the more maligned Bengals by fans a year ago, flashed his skills several times and should improve greatly in his third season.

But behind Joseph and Hall, the team’s depth in questionable. Coach Marvin Lewis likes David Jones and the team seems to be impressed with rookie Morgan Trent, but neither have shown the ability to take over a game.

For the team to be successful, the backups will need to show that they have the ability to step in and take over. Joseph’s injury last year showed the importance of depth and in a league of three and four wide receiver sets, multiple corners that can play physically are a necessity.

4) Chad OchoCinco’s mindset

Over a four-year stretch, there was arguably no receiver in the league who was more feared than Chad Johnson. He led the AFC in yards four times and the NFL once, and was a highlight film every time he touched the ball, and not just for his celebrations.

But beginning in 2007, Johnson starting taking himself too seriously. He publicly pleaded for a trade, changed his last name to OchoCinco, and pretty much alienated every Bengal fan in the country.

To top it all off, he separated his shoulder in training camp and never got in sync with backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, leading to his worst season as a pro.

This season, OchoCinco swears that he’s back to normal. He did not demand a trade, made nice with Carson Palmer, and even showed up to a voluntary mini camp. If he continues to act like the Chad Johnson of old, he brings a spark to the offense that few teams can match.

It won’t take long for fans to see if they are getting “playful Chad” or “arrogant Chad.” Thanks to HBO, it will be apparent for the entire country to see.

5) That killer instinct

In any sport, there are teams or individuals that have the talent to win championships. But it takes more than talent to beat your opponent. It also takes the will and the mindset that will not only beat your opponent, but that you pummel them into submission.

There is an old coaching axiom that states, “I don’t want players that like to win. Everybody likes to win. I want players that hate to lose.” It is that mindset that will need to be developed if the team is to compete in the AFC North.

While it’s hard to see a team’s mindset in four meaningless preseason games —after all, the Colts have made a habit of going winless in the preseason, then marching to the division title—you can see if a team is ready to play.

If the Bengals come out firing away in the first quarter, if linebackers run through the ball-handler with authority, if the practice and “throwaway” players hit harder than the starters, the team may be on the right track.

Excellence and the desire to win are not confined to just games that “count.” True championship teams compete every time they step on the field.

Chicago Bears Coaches’ Hot Seat: Ron Turner & Darrly Drake Must Step Up

Yes, Lovie Smith’s job could very well be on the line this season, depending on the success of the Chicago Bears. But he isn’t the only one.

Offensive coordinator Ron Turner has come under scrutiny ever since being signed five years ago. With a few minor exceptions, most of Turner’s playbook has evoked groans of dismay from both fans and media members alike.

While the Bears have showed some impressive flashes of offensive punch the past few seasons, they have yet to put together a consistent enough threat to really be taken seriously. I mean, the offense has disappeared for quarters and full halves at a time. It is embarrassing.

Before this year, one could always blame the struggles on a lesser talented quarterback. Whether it was the good Rex/bad Rex, Kyle Orton, or Brian Griese, fans could still point to them and scream, “WHY? WHY DID YOU MAKE THAT THROW!?”

Now the Cutler Era has begun in Chicago and with the expectations being as high as they have been in years, don’t pretend to believe that Bear fans are going to be patient.

They might blame Cutler if he makes poor passes, but their rage will be focused on Turner and his inability to coach on the fly. He has done decently when the plays are scripted out, but once it gets into him actually having to make split second choices, he continually falls short.

The Bears offense always looked its best in either the first 20 plays of the game or during the two-minute drill, where most of the decisions were being made by the quarterback behind center.

But let’s not blame just Turner. There is another coach (well, there is more than one, but I want to keep this under 10,000 words) who has underachieved to the point that I don’t know why he still has a job—wide receivers coach Darryl Drake.

Let’s see how Drake grades on the Bear receivers he has had time to help:

Bobby Wade, Justin Gage, Bernard Berrian, Mushin Muhammad, Mark Bradley, Rashied Davis, Devin Hester.

Well, Wade was cut from the Bears, but is now a starter and produces on the Vikings (Drake:0 , Opposing WR Coach:1).

Gage showed some flashes on the Bears but flamed out for some unknown reason. Then, he turned up in Tennessee and was their leading receiver (Drake:0, OWRC:2).

Berrian came into his own with Rex Grossman launching him the ball. However, the Bears wisely did not match the $49 million offer, as Berrian hasn’t improved that much since leaving (Drake: 1, OWRC:2).

I hate Moose, I really do. The man was miserable for us. He dropped a lot of passes, he complained too much and was a waste of space.

However, in the season before coming to Chicago, he caught 93 passes for over 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Panthers. In the season following his departure, he recorded 65 receptions, 923 yards and five touchdowns.

In his three years with Chicago, the highest amount of catches he had in one year was 64 receptions. His highest yardage total was 863 yards and his highest touchdown total was five.

What does that tell me? I am not sure, but I know it isn’t good for Drake (Drake:1, OWRC:3).

In 17 games with the Bears, Mark Bradley caught six receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown.

In 10 games with the Chiefs, he had 30 receptions for 380 yards and three touchdowns (Drake:1, OWRC:4).

Shoot, I will give Drake another point for Hester and I won’t dock him points for Rashied, and he is still two behind. Game over.

This year, the receiving corps needs to mature and grow with the help of Drake. Hester is primed for a breakout year, while Earl Bennett and Igelsias are two sure-handed young guns. In Drake’s tenure, no Bears receiver has had over 1,000 yards receiving, which is unacceptable.

So let me make a declaration, and this is regardless of the final record. If the Bears offense finishes 15th or lower in the NFL and none of the Bear receivers get better as the year goes on, Turner and Drake are fired. End of story.

 

Top Ten NFL Teams With the Most to Prove in ’09

The 2008 season was full of surprises. The Titans with the best record in the league, the Falcons, Dolphins, and Ravens making the playoffs, the Brady-less Pats nearly making the playoffs, and so on. Last year set up a new season in ’09, one that would show the world whether a team is really good enough to compete in the league, and in the playoffs. Which team has the most to prove this year? Check out my top 10 teams with the most to prove in ’09.

Welcome Back Michael Vick (Well Sort Of)

After weeks of speculation and rumors, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has officially brought Michael Vick back into the NFL fold with the potential for him being back on the field by the sixth week of the 2009 season.

Of course there is a catch (isn’t there always?).

It doesn’t really matter if he can attend training camp, play in the final two games of the preseason and apply for full reinstatement following the fifth week of the season if no team is willing to give him a uniform.

Even though he now has the blessing of the Commissioner, Vick needs the blessing of some NFL owner and coach willing to deal with the distraction that will inevitably come with his return to the NFL.

Unfortunately for him, it seems that teams seem to be falling all over themselves to announce that they aren’t interested in the former overall number one draft pick.

It is just the latest illustration of how much things have changed for Vick since his days as one of the most electrifying players in the NFL.

I am glad that rather than drawing this thing out for another few weeks, Goodell has shown his cards and hopefully started to put things in motion for this ugly situation to eventually move off the front page.

There certainly will be another media firestorm if Vick signs with a team. However, allowing Vick to participate in training camp and off-the-field drills during the first weeks of the regular season should allow both him and the media to turn the page and have a sense of normalcy. By the time Vick puts on a uniform for a real game the story shouldn’t be as high profile as it has been.

Especially considering that even if Vick does get signed this season, it is unlikely that he will see extensive action on the field.

I would think that even those in the media who have been insistent on chronicling everything they possibly can about the Vick situation will eventually get tired of showing pictures and video clips of him standing on the sidelines holding a clipboard.

Given his unquestioned athletic ability, you would think there would be at least one NFL team chomping at the bit to bring Vick into the fold, especially now that the Wildcat offense has become the offense de jour.

While there were always questions about Vick’s passing ability, no one has ever questioned his running prowess.

In case you have forgotten–and it is certainly possible given that he hasn’t played since the 2006 season–Vick rushed for 3,859 yards (averaging 7.3 yards per carry) in his six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. In 2006, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

Surely some coach and offensive coordinator would welcome the chance to line Vick up in the backfield and see what confusion he can cause for the opposing defense.

However, unless a team is doing something that is almost unthinkable in the modern NFL–making a high-profile personnel decision without first tipping off Chris Mortensen, Jay Glazer or John Clayton, it doesn’t appear that Vick has many legitimate suitors.

Instead, it appears that Vick’s best option may end up being the fledgling United Football League, which is scheduled to begin play with four teams in October.

Vick has already been designated for the Orlando team and would certainly provide the league with instant notoriety and increased publicity.

The United Football League would also provide Vick with a better opportunity to see immediate action at the quarterback position.

While some NFL teams are reluctant to bring in Vick because of his recent past and the circus that would surround him, a more substantial reason that interest in Vick has been minimal is because he hasn’t played an organized game in two years and would have to get rid of his rust while also learning a new offense.

Playing in the UFL would give him a chance to get game experience, rather than simply seeing some action in practice and then holding a clipboard on Sundays. He then could be positioned to return to the NFL in 2010 as a potential starter, rather than as a third string quarterback.

However, even if the UFL is a better fit and would likely give him a larger initial payday, you can bet that if given any choice at all, Vick will opt for a return to the NFL.

If nothing else, it appears Vick has a pretty clear understanding of all that he has lost, and knows that the best chance to start rebuilding his reputation and career is by getting back into an NFL uniform.

Heck, after what he has been through in the last two years, even sitting on the end of the bench in the NFL is significantly better than sitting in Leavenworth.

 

Check out Dean Hybl’s sports blog: Sports Then and Now, to read about more great athletes and moments in sports history.

2009 NFC North Preview: Lions, Packers, Vikings, and Bears—Oh My!

It doesn’t matter if Brett Favre becomes a Minnesota Viking or not. The Vikings’ defense and running game carries this team, although there is room for improvement with their pass defense.

However, solid play from the quarterback position has been the only thing preventing the Vikings from being an elite team.

If the quarterback can get the ball to him, wide receiver and kick returner Percy Harvin has significant big-play potential. His presence may draw enough attention from defenders to open up other things for Minnesota’s offense.

Running backs Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor may be the best duo in the NFL because of the blocking by the offensive line.

Minnesota should finish first in the NFC North simply because they have the best rushing attack in this division and a defense that keeps them in ball games.

The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers could possibly tie for second place, with 9-7 or 8-8 records.

Like the Vikings, the Bears’ strength lies in their rushing defense. In contrast, Chicago’s rushing offense is unimpressive.

Matt Forte may collect the carries, but he is not an explosive runner.

The Chicago Bears shocked the universe this off-season by trading two first-round picks to the Denver Broncos for quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler brings confidence and a Pro Bowl resume to the Windy City, where the Bears have lacked an offensive star for years.

Is Cutler good enough to quickly transform this team into a playoff team?  Probably not, as the Bears face a schedule with seven games against 2008 playoff teams.

Switching to a 3-4 defense may not be the simplest transition for the Packers this upcoming season. Therefore, the switch may not help much in 2009. Green Bay plays the bottom three teams in the NFL—Cleveland, St. Louis and Detroit—four times.

Aaron Rodgers proved to be a competent NFL quarterback who can start all 16 games. He has some great weapons with Green Bay and works within an effective system.

Greg Jennings has quietly emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the league, averaging 59 catches for 949 yards (that is 16.0 yards-per-reception) in his first three years in the league.

Running back Ryan Grant had a disappointing 2008 performance after an impressive 2007 production. Which Grant will show up in 2009?

Following an 0-16 season, the Detroit Lions are starting over and have nowhere to go but up. With a new front office, coaching staff, and face of the franchise, expect the Lions to win a few games this year.

Is Matthew Stafford their answer? It’s difficult to tell since he does not have a good offensive line.

However, as a Georgia Bulldogs fan who witnessed Stafford for three collegiate seasons, I will be surprised if he has a successful NFL career.

At UGA, Stafford had a tendency to force passes into double-coverage and for the most part, did not play well against the SEC’s best defenses.

Stafford has the classic NFL quarterback style and a strong arm, but he will need to learn to read NFL defenses and quickly go through his progressions.

Passing accuracy, not arm strength, is what is required to win the National Football League. However, I do hope that Stafford proves me wrong and does well in Detroit.

If Stafford is smart, his favorite target will be talented wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Detroit’s defense will improve. The Lions’ defense in 2008 was historically terrible, allowing a league worst 8.82 yards-per-pass-attempt and a NFL worst 5.1 yards-per-rush.

 

 

 

Quote of the Day:
Life is hard. It’s even harder if you’re stupid.
–Anonymous

 

Hebrews 12:1 “[God Disciplines His Sons] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved.

How Brett Ratliff Is Suddenly The Most Popular Guy In Cleveland

With training camp opening in just days, the quarterback competition will finally begin between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson. After months of debate, it will finally be settled in the coming weeks.

The part of the debate that I have found most funny is how supporters of Quinn will bash Anderson and vice- versa. At the same time everybody loves Brett Ratliff. Anderson supporters say that Ratliff is better than Quinn. Quinn supporters think Ratliff is better than Anderson.

Everybody seems to love Brett Ratliff. Anderson and Quinn supporters both seem to want Ratliff as the No. 2. If everybody loves him, why don’t they want him to start over the other two? Well I have heard a few say that they want him to.

My response to that is get real. Comparing Ratliff to Quinn and Anderson is just ridiculous. Many Browns fans do remember the great game Ratliff had against the Browns backups in the preseason. Considering most guys lit it up against the Browns starters last year, that is nothing to get excited about.

It is true that Eric Mangini wanted him in the blockbuster trade. But who knows why? Maybe Mangini knows that Ratliff is a really good scout team quarterback. That is an important job for a team. Maybe Mangini just wanted to see how Quinn and Anderson would respond to the team acquiring a new quarterback.

I seriously don’t think Mangini has any intention of making Ratliff his quarterback of the future. Those plans could change but I don’t think that is his plan now.

Let’s look at resumes for the three quarterbacks. Derek Anderson has a Pro Bowl season on his. Brady Quinn holds most school passing records at a school that has produced other greats like Joe Theisman and Joe Montana. In limited NFL action he has shown promise.

Now here is Brett Ratliff’s resume. He went to Utah. That is a school on the rise. They do have two BCS victories in recent years. But here is the thing one came before he was there and the other came after he left. In 2006 he didn’t even play most of the year. He backed up Brian Johnson until he got hurt.

The most impressive thing on Ratliff’s resume is an Emerald Bowl victory over Tulsa and a great preseason game against Browns backups. So there is really no comparison with his resume compared to the other two. I am not trying to bash the kid, I am really not. I am just trying to keep it real.

I don’t know who ultimately wins the job. I prefer Quinn, but I know that Ratliff is not the guy to go with if Quinn goes down. No Browns fan should want him to play this year. If he does it will be due to disastrous situations.

Those fans who I hear talk about how they love Ratliff really make me laugh. The reason they like him is because they see him as less of a threat to the guy playing. While people like him, very few want him to start. In reality everybody loves Ratliff but nobody really likes him.

Again this is not a shot at the kid, I would love to be on an NFL roster as a scout team quarterback. I am just keeping it real.

Will JaMarcus Russell Turn The Page In 2009?

After finishing the 2006 season with a dismal 2-14 record, the Oakland Raiders have made strides, improving their win-loss record from both 2006 to 2007 and 2007 to 2008. The problem is that even in doing so, the Raiders still had just five wins last season. In fact, the team hasn’t surpassed the five-win mark since 2002.

So, what part of their game was lacking in 2008? How about all of it?

On the defensive side of the ball, Oakland gave up the ninth most points per game (24.2) and the sixth most yards per game (360.9) in the league. Perhaps a team with any semblance of an offense could have weathered that storm, but an offensive dynamo, the Raiders were not.

Quarterback, JaMarcus Russell, who played in 15 games during his sophomore campaign, amassed just 2,423 passing yards, 13 TDs, and 8 INTs. While the TD to INT ratio isn’t that bad, the rest of the numbers are, and they are a big reason the team ranked dead last in passing in the NFL last season.

The ground game fared a bit better with Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden, and Michael Bush combining for 1,773 rushing yards, helping the Raiders finish in the top 10 in rushing yards in 2008. However, the team did tie with the Kansas City Chiefs for the fourth fewest rushing TDs on the year with nine.

If things keep going this way, Oakland may be better off suiting up some of the members of the infamous “black hole” than the guys that they currently trot out onto the field week in and week out.

 

KEY ADDITION

Jeff Garcia (QB)—All indications are that JaMarcus Russell will be the team’s starting quarterback come week one of the season, but adding Garcia to the mix does two things for the Raiders.

First, it brings a veteran presence to the team’s quarterback position—something the team did not have last season and something that could greatly benefit Russell’s development, if Garcia is willing to mentor the young QB. Secondly, it gives the team a legitimate “plan B” should Russell and the offense struggle out of the gate.

The one-year, $1 million deal the Raiders gave the vet could indeed pay off big time.

 

KEY DEPARTURE

Gibril Wilson (S)—Not only did Wilson finish second on the Raiders in total tackles with 129, but those 129 tackles made him the league leader among DBs. Still, the Raiders did not feel Wilson was worth the extravagant contract they had awarded him following the 2007 season and released the safety following 2008.

The move is probably wise as the Raiders did over pay for Wilson’s services; however, the team will still miss the hard-hitting 27 year-old.

 

BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT

JaMarcus Russell (QB)—2008 may have been Russell’s second year in the league, but due to a lengthy hold out prior to his rookie season that caused the QB to miss a big chunk of training camp, it was more like season 1.5 for the Raiders’ QB. That showed in his numbers as Russell managed just 2,423 passing yards, 13 passing TDs, and 8 INTs in 15 games.

Granted, the Raiders didn’t do Russell any favors with the receivers they provided him with (Johnnie Lee Higgins should not be any NFL team’s top receiver), which is probably why Russell was often satisfied with dumping the ball to tight end, Zach Miller, and running back, Darren McFadden.

The team tried to help Russell’s cause by taking a wide out with the seventh pick of this year’s draft, but seemed to have fouled that one up, too, by taking Darius Heyward-Bey over Michael Crabtree. Thus, look for Russell to struggle again in 2009, especially if his accuracy issues continue as he completed just 53.8 percent of his passes in 2008.

Darren McFadden (RB)—During his rookie campaign, McFadden did show flashes of his amazing explosiveness and play-making ability. Perhaps, no better example is his 21 carry, 164 rushing yards, and one TD week two performance against the Chiefs.

However, turf toe hampered the back for the majority of the season, and like kryptonite is to Super Man, so, too is turf toe to a speedy back.

Now, healthy, look for McFadden to become a bigger part of the Raiders’ offense as the team attempts to utilize his dual threat abilities, making him a low-end RB2/ high-end RB3 for 2009.

 

ROOKIE TO WATCH

Darius Heyward-Bey (WR)—Throughout his whole career, fans will compare Heyward-Bey to 49ers’ wide receiver, Michael Crabtree. The comparisons will come to no fault of Heyward-Bey’s, but rather due to Al Davis’ insane infatuation with speed.  While Heyward-Bey’s 40-yard dash was impressive, it will mean little if the wide out continues to run sloppy routes and drops passes.

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