Fantasy Football Profile: Eli, Orton, Edwards, Delhomme, and Garrard

Eli Manning

I like Eli more as a reality QB than a fantasy one.  Even with Derrick Ward’s departure, this is still a run-first team.  Without a clear No. 1 WR, it’s hard to consider Eli anything more than a backup fantasy QB, especially given the swirling winds he often plays in at Giants Stadium. 

The Giants have drafted plenty of WRs the past few years, so it’s time for Steve Smith, Mario Manninghma, Sincorice Moss, and, rookie Hakeem Nicks to step up. 

Domenik Hixon will likely be his most reliable WR, and Kevin Boss is a serviceable TE for Eli who can gain yards after the catch. 

Eli has some nice regular season matchups in Week Four vs. Kansas City, Week Six against New Orleans, Week Seven against Arizona, and Week 12 against Denver.  He has a tough fantasy playoff schedule at home against Philly, at Washington, and at home against Carolina. 

He’d be a nice compliment to Matt Ryan, Donovan McNabb, and Kurt Warner, all of whom have byes in Week Four. Also, both Tony Romo and Peyton Manning have byes in Week Six, and Matt Hasselbeck has one in Week Seven. 

I think you’ll see typical Eli numbers, with 3,300 yards and 21 TDs.

Kyle Orton

Now we get to see what Orton has.  He was a standout at Purdue and finally has some weapons to work with in Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal.  He doesn’t take much of a step back with his tight ends, as Daniel Graham and Tony Scheffler aren’t far off from Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark. 

He is going to a more pass-happy Offense and should see an increase in production, though he’s clearly a backup fantasy QB.

He should get off to a solid start facing Cincinnati and Cleveland in the first two weeks.  He plays the Chiefs in Week 13.  Unfortunately, his best matchups aren’t in bye weeks, which lessens his value as a backup fantasy QB. 

His fantasy playoffs matchups are Indy, Oakland, and Philly, which are probably a moot point because if you’re relying on him as your No. 1 QB, you’re probably not in the fantasy playoffs. 

I would probably try and pair him with Brees or Manning.  Brees has a bye in Week 5 and Orton faces New England.  Peyton has a bye in Week 6 and Orton faces San Diego.  Denver faces Baltimore when Tom Brady is on bye, so I wouldn’t pair them up. 

Orton will be a late round pick and I’m putting him on a 3,300 yard, 18 TD season.

Trent Edwards

Trent Edwards gets the luxury/challenge of being T.O.’s newest QB. The good news for Edwards is that T.O. usually plays nice the first year in a new destination.  Plus, T.O. will probably be on his best behavior for his reality show. 

In addition to Owens, Edwards has speedy Lee Evans, who just may be the best No. 2 WR Owens has played with in a long time.  With the attention Owens garners, Edwards and Evans could connect on some deep balls. 

He also has three RBs capable of catching the ball out of the backfield in Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, and Dominic Rhodes.  Edwards could be a breakout candidate.

His fantasy playoffs schedule consists of Kansas City, New England, and Atlanta.  I wouldn’t gamble on him in Weeks 15 & 16, but the opening round of the playoffs against Kansas City is intriguing. 

He has a couple of decent matchups during the year.  First, he plays New Orleans in Week Three.  He also faces Cleveland in Week Five, which could be of interest to Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Philip Rivers owners, who are on bye that week. 

Edwards will be a late round pick and I expect him to have around 3,300 yards and 18 TDs.

 

Jake Delhomme

Jake Delhomme had a disappointing 2008 season.  Still, he has Steve Smith, one of the games most electrifying WRs at his disposal, so he maintains fantasy relevance. 

Muhsin Muhammad had a solid year, but at 36 you begin to wonder about a drop off.  This is a clearly a run-first team and Delhomme is a spot fantasy starter at best.

You can’t use him in the fantasy playoffs, as he faces New England, Minnesota, and the Giants.  He faces Arizona and New Orleans in Weeks Eight and Nine, which appear to be his best matchups. 

He could be paired with Carson Palmer, Matt Cassel, Tom Brady, or Big Ben, who have byes in Week 8. 

I wouldn’t trust any of the Week Nine bye teams as a No. 1 QB, so it doesn’t pay to pair Delhomme with them.

David Garrard

David Garrard had a disappointing 2008 season.  Most of the team did, in fact.  Their offensive line was crippled with injuries, and their defense took a major step back. 

About the only productive players was Maurice-Jones Drew. 

2009 should look a little better, as they bolstered their offensive line in the offseason with the addition of Tra Thomas, Eugene Monroe, and Eben Britton. 

They also added Torry Holt to improve their WR play.  Maurice Jones-Drew is an excellent receiver out of the backfield, and Marcedes Lewis is a solid pass-catching TE. 

Jacksonville’s fantasy playoff schedule consists of Miami, Indianapolis, and New England, so it’s unlikely you’ll use Garrad in the fantasy playoffs. 

During the season they have some decent matchups against Arizona in Week Two, St. Louis in Week Six, and Kansas City in Week Nine. 

Peyton Manning and Tony Romo have byes in Week Six, so he could be a decent option to pair with them.  I wouldn’t trust any of the Week Nine bye teams as a      No. 1 QB, so it doesn’t pay to pair Garrard with them.

Articles Originally Published at LestersLegends.com.

When in the World Is Michael Vick Going To San Diego?

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For the moment, set aside the thoughts of protest.

 

Just briefly, silence the outrage.

 

Clear the mind and be open, it’s one of the great human virtues.

 

Ready?

 

Consider Michael Vick in a San Diego Chargers uniform.

 

Slow down now—just talking football.

 

Think of him sprinting downfield and outrunning defenses on a deep route. Imagine him taking a pitch from Philip Rivers on a sweep. See him get the ball on a reverse and loft a pass downfield to any receiver—take your pick.

 

But while we’re dreaming, how about LT who snuck out of the backfield?

 

And lest we forget the obvious: picture Vick with Bolts flashing from his hardhat, taking the direct snap and options unfolding at the line of scrimmage as part of the Wildcat.

 

Why not a pass to Rivers, who shifted to flanker? The guy’s gotta get credit for at least one career reception on the back of his trading card, doesn’t he?

 

It’s all there. One of the NFL’s most entertaining offensive franchises could add one of the sport’s most entertaining offensive players.

 

Do the Chargers need him? Probably not.

 

Could they use him? Sure, who doesn’t want to add more firepower? And for a team that is looking for ways to increase its number of plays, Vick would provide plenty of options.

 

Forget, too, what you’ve thought of Vick as a player in the past. His days as a quarterback are gone, as distant as his clean criminal record.

 

Even when he was leading the Falcons to the NFC Championship in 2005, Vick was equal parts flashy and frustrating as coordinators and their linemen could never be certain if he’d follow the play or freelance, whether he’d be in the pocket or on the other side of the field.

 

No, when Vick returns to the NFL, his position will be listed simply as ATH.

 

And that is really the way it should be.

 

Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Mike Vick play ball are well aware there have been few players that have been as fun to watch. He is the type of player for whom the game of football is really intended and not the 11 on 11, highly-specialized version that is seen on Sundays.

 

Vick is the embodiment of pure, down-and-out to the station wagon, slant to the tree, button-hook at the manhole cover, go-long-and-I’ll-hit-you football.

 

But in these days of the highly-scripted game plan, that style of player leads to a multitude of problems if he is also the signal caller.

 

Make him one of the options, and he is an offensive weapon of immeasurable versatility and a veritable nightmare for the defense and its coordinator.

 

He would be a morph of Kordell Stewart and Antwaan Randle El but infinitely better. Chargers fans might recall hybrid types like Ronnie Harmon or Gary Anderson or Eric Metcalf. None would be in Vick’s class.

 

Again, setting aside the outrage and also the variable of whether the Chargers would pursue Vick at all (they likely will not) the two main issues confronting the 29-year-old are conditioning and eligibility.

 

First, it’s important to consider his age. He’s 29, not 35, so there are plenty of football years left in that body. This isn’t Brett Favre trying to see if he can coax another pass from a soon-to-be 40-year-old arm.

 

Has he been enduring the rigors of NFL-caliber training while serving 23-months in jail? No. But in the 60 days (which ended Monday) that he spent in home confinement to complete the sentence, Vick reportedly has worked out with a performance trainer.

 

The guy has been playing the game his entire life and just two years ago, was still one of football’s most athletic players. He’ll be able to get in shape.

 

But the bigger issue will be whether or not he’ll be cleared for employment, and that decision is left solely to the discretion of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

 

Multiple sources have reported that Goodell is considering a four-game suspension. Vick has already been released by the Falcons, so upon reinstatement, Vick would be an available free agent.

 

Goodell has stated he is looking for remorse from Vick, and an evidence of change from the man who was sent to prison on a dogfighting conviction.

 

Not only for his professional career, but for his own inner peace, Vick should demonstrate genuine remorse for such a horrible and brutal activity.

 

Recent reports that Vick engaged in dogfighting possibly as young as eight years old, and visited a strip club this week as soon as his ankle monitor was removed, don’t help. Though the strip club visit has since been denied by Vick.

 

But if Goodell is truly convinced, Vick will be reinstated, and he should be. The man paid his debt to society both physically and financially. It is time to let him move on.

 

Some don’t want him on the field at all, but the league has allowed worse transgressors.

 

There will also be plenty of critics that will say Vick has been out of game-speed action too long, and NFL playbooks are too complicated.

 

I don’t buy it.

 

The guy has plenty left in the tank and will contribute mightily to the team with just a modicum of imagination.

 

Think Bill Belichick couldn’t find a spot for him?

 

Whaddya say, Norv?

 

Let the outrage begin.

Tom Brady: Will He Ever Avoid The Sack of “The System Quarterback?”

When debating on the performance of players in the NFL, there are two sides of any debate—those who consider statistic as the best measure of the players performance and those who consider wins and championships as the best measure of a players performance.

Each side has its own measure and formula of what is most important and how to judge a players performance.

The measure of how “clutch” a player performs is mostly used by those who believe winning championships is the most important factor in any debate (especially quarterbacks.)

When those who weigh championships more mention the notion of clutch to the statistics group, the stats group usually say that it’s a false measure—that being clutch is exaggerated in order to make excuses as to why a player hasn’t put up impressive statistics.

That in turn would equalize the playing field to players that have put up impressive numbers.

What’s ironic is that this same group of debaters have created a fictitious measure themselves—the cliché of a “system quarterback,” described as being a quarterback with outstanding surrounding talent, coaching staff, and an organization that covers flaws in the quarterbacks ability to be successful and win games.

This cliché is used on Tom Brady more than any other quarterback in the league today. The only problem is, Tom Brady’s not a “system quarterback.”

The cliché used against Brady is nothing more than the Brady pundits excuses to why he has become successful.

The majority of NFL fans believe that Brady was drafted and put into a Super Bowl contender. This is a misconception that is meant to belittle Tom Brady’s impact to the New England Patriots.

Before Brady became the starting quarterback of the Patriots in the 2001 season, the Patriots went 5-11 with a four time Pro-Bowl quarterback (which Brady is now himself) and former No. 1 overall pick in Drew Bledsoe.

They also had major pieces put in place such as Willie McGinest, Ty Law, Teddy Bruchi, Kevin Faulk, Adam Vinatieri, and Lawyer Milloy, and Bill Belichick. All of those players were present prior to Brady becoming the starter and were present after he became the starter.

Yet, the Patriots still went 5-11 the year before Brady became a starter.

Not much change from 2000 to 2001. The Patriots drafted both Matt Light and Richard Seymour in the 2001 season but neither were major contributors to the 2001 Championship run.

The 2000 defense and 2001 defense performed very much at the same level. The 2000 defense ranked No. 20 in the league in overall defense, and the 2001 defense ranked No. 24 in overall defense.

The defense from 2000 allowed 334.6 yards-per-game while the 2001 defense allowed 334.5 yards-per-game.

The 2001 defense was better than the 2000 defense in terms of points allowed, but by a small margin; the 2000 defense allowed 21 points-per-game, and the 2001 defense allowed 17 points.

Brady Pundits could say that Bill Belichick needed time to set up the defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 but this notion is false since Bill Belichick has always used the 4-3 at some point during the season.

He used the 4-3 defense in both Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXIX.

The point I’m trying to make is Brady was not put in a perfect situation and in a team that was a Super Bowl contender, and that there was no major difference between the Patriots team that went 5-11 in 2000 and the Patriots team went on to win the Super Bowl in 2001.

Those who label Brady as a system quarterback must be clear on which system they are talking about.

Tom Brady has worked with three offensive systems throughout his career. The Charlie Weis system, the early version Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick System, and the late version.

The Charlie Weis system utilized the running game and screen passes to Kevin Faulk more often and featured a lot of two TE sets.

The early Josh McDaniels system (in which Belichick was more involved in the offense) utilized quick slant passes to Troy Brown, while the late Josh McDaniels system was a finesse passing game.

It’s ironic that Brady succeeded in all of those systems.

Many like to point out that Matt Cassel succeeded in the same Patriots system that Tom Brady played in.

What they fail to realize is that the system that Cassel played in with Randy Moss and Wes Welker isn’t the same system Brady played in his whole career.

Brady put up the same numbers Cassell put up in his first year without all the weapons, not to mention he played a tougher schedule than Cassel played.

The cliché of “the system quarterback” is very dubious in my opinion, considering the fact that every quarterback in the NFL could be labeled as a “system quarterback.”

Every team surrounds their quarterbacks with the players they feel like will best help their quarterback succeed. Some teams will surround their quarterback with a great defense; others will surround their quarterback with a great offense.

So why is the quarterback that is surrounded with the better defense considered a system quarterback, while the other one is not labeled with the cliché?

Dolphins Corner The Market: Meet Rookie CB Sean Smith

Three Miami Dolphins rookies showed big-time play-making abilities during the team’s off season training activities. Cornerback Sean Smith from Utah, safety Chris Clemons from Clemson, and wide receiver Patrick Turner from USC all turned heads in the south Florida heat.

We will break down every key player and each important aspect of the 2009 Dolphins as their September 13 opener at Atlanta quickly approaches. This breakdown focuses on the rookie who just might find himself face-to-face with Roddy White, reading Matt Ryan’s eyes, and jamming Tony Gonzalez in the Georgia dome.

The Dolphins signed Smith to a four-year deal today, that guarantees the second-round pick nearly $1.4 million. It puts him in position to compete for a starting spot in the secondary.

The word “freak” is thrown around too many times these days, but that is exactly what Sean Smith is—he is 6’3½” and 214 lbs. He’s a cornerback, not a safety. They don’t grow corners this tall, strong, and fast—it must be that clean Salt Lake City living.

Dolphins’ observers and coaches alike say they haven’t seen a physical specimen at cornerback like Smith. His strength allowed him to jam and frustrate the Dolphins’ wide receiver at the line of scrimmage in the offseason. His height was even more menacing, as he knocked down and intercepted ball after ball in the spring.

Even though the converted wide receiver is still learning the corner spot, his natural instincts have been as impressive as his raw skill.

Why is it so encouraging that the Dolphins are ahead of schedule with their grooming of Smith? Well, the division rival Buffalo Bills brought some tall, wide receiver named Terrell Owens whom you might have heard of. Meanwhile, the Patriots’ future Hall of Fame wide receiver, another tall guy, Randy Moss, eagerly awaits the return of Tom Brady. I mentioned future Hall of Famer, right?

Nobody is saying that Sean Smith is ready to go toe-to-toe with Moss or Owens, or even Chansi Stuckey for that matter. They are saying he has a chance to start opposite Will Allen, and will definitely be on the field a lot this year.

He diagnoses screens quickly, and loves to hit. Smith definitely grasps what receivers are doing to attack the coverage.

The fact that he is extremely confident in his abilities compliments his off-the-chart measurables very well.

He is a little slow out of his back pedal and like many rookies he wastes too much motion. The Dolphins’ coaches can coach him on those deficiencies, but they need to do it quickly, because Owens and Moss are waiting.

Elway, Bradshaw, & Aikman Better Than Peyton Manning? Shame on You NFL Network

As I was watching NFL Network today, I became quite disturbed with their list of the Top 10 quarterbacks to have ever been drafted No.1 overall.

It’s not so much that I personally place any value on their lists because I don’t. Rather, the greater issue is that the lack of research and credible criteria brings fourth more and more lists that continue to shape the minds of millions of NFL fans world—wide.

In this particular instance, the NFL Network ranked John Elway No.1, Terry Bradshaw No.2, Troy Aikman No.3, and Peyton Manning No.4.

Needless to say, I disagree with NFL Network’s conclusion that Elway and especially Bradshaw and Aikman had been better quarterbacks than Peyton Manning has been thus far.

So what I’m going to do is breakdown the above mentioned quarterbacks and compare their top three to the No.4 guy on their list.

First we have the No.3 quarterback on the list, Troy Aikman.

Not much was said of Troy beyond when Jamie Dukes referred to Aikman as “The most accurate quarterback I’ve ever seen”.

Interesting as you’d think he might have been watching guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, both of whom have higher career completion percentages (64.4 for Manning & 63.0 for Brady) compared to Aikman’s 61.5 career completion percentage.

That is not to say that Aikman wasn’t an accurate quarterback by any means.

It just appears as though that one singular aspect of his game has had a greater emphasis placed upon it due to the fact that he never produced to any great degree in any other particular areas as an individual player.

Then we have Terry Bradshaw who ranked second on NFL Network’s list.

They obviously made reference to Bradshaw’s four Super Bowl victories.

Funny how there wasn’t much more to say about him. That’s likely due to the fact that Terry Bradshaw rarely performed at an elite level despite the success his team had.

That’s really the key word here, team.

Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Terry Bradshaw the guy playing with a Hall of Fame running back, a Hall of Fame center, Two (albeit possibly one undeserving) Hall of Fame receivers, and possible the greatest defensive unit in NFL History?

If one were to imply that Peyton Manning was afforded an equal opportunity to win four Super Bowls in terms of the support of his team as a whole (remember now, that accounts for Offense, Defense, & Special Teams) then I would love to hear a detailed explanation.

Then there was one No.1 on the list and that man was John Elway.

He is perhaps the only quarterback in which you could substantiate a valid claim for.

It’s not so much that I have anything against John Elway (I don’t) but he has simply not accomplished as much as Peyton Manning has and he has had longer to build up his resume.

The best argument that one could provide is that he carried a team that wasn’t exactly elite to five Super Bowls.

The issue with that theory is, the 1997 and 1998 Denver Broncos were elite.

The 1986 squad that he led to the Super Bowl was anything but however, the 1987 team possessed a seventh ranked defense and the 1989 squad had the No.1 defense in the entire league.

So did Elway make a lot out of teams that weren’t as great as Aikman’s Cowboys or Bradshaw’s Steelers?

Absolutely, but the quality of support he had to work with is often made out to be far worse than it really was which in turn, has made Elway appear that much more heroic.

Shouldn’t I at least mention Pro Bowl selections?

The popular response would be no, because people have a tenancy to point out the times when players are selected undeservedly over better players (think of Brett Favre in 2008) and they use that argument as the foundation for dis—crediting the event as a whole.

The reality of matter however is that the selection system (while having it’s flaws to be sure) succeeds far more often than it fails.

Below is a list of how many Pro Bowls all of the four quarterbacks were selected to.

 

Peyton Manning: Nine

John Elway: Nine

Troy Aikman: Six

Terry Bradshaw: Three

 

Now, if one is to argue the validity and credibility of the above posted selections, all they must do is the following.

Explain which of Peyton Manning’s nine Pro Bowl seasons were years where he did not deserve to be selected and explain who deserved the spot Manning took and why he deserved it more than Manning.

Additionally, explain which years quarterbacks like Aikman and Bradshaw deserved to go but didn’t. 

Tell us who actually earned the spot in those years and why Aikman or Bradshaw deserved the spots instead of them.

Again, that is not to say that you have to make the Pro Bowl to have had a good season.

Rather, being selected simply validates that you were one of the select few who performed at a higher level than your contemporaries. 

But as I know this argument could go on and on, I’m simply going to provide all of you with what each of the four quarterbacks produced on the field during their respective careers.

 

Peyton Manning in 176 games:

3,839 of 5,960 (64.4 percent) for 45,628 yards, 333 touchdowns and 165 interceptions.

Quarterback Rating: 94.4

John Elway in 233 games:

4,123 of 7,250 (56.9 percent) for 51,475 yards, 300 touchdowns and 226 interceptions.

Quarterback Rating: 79.9

Troy Aikman in 165 games:

2,892 of 4,715 (61.5 percent) for 32,942 yards, 165 touchdowns and 141 interceptions.

Quarterback Rating: 81.6

Terry Bradshaw in 168 games:

2,025 of 3,901 (51.9 percent) for 27,989 yards, 212 touchdowns and 210 interceptions.

Quarterback Rating: 70.9

 

What we can tell is that Peyton Manning was far more accurate, far more productive in terms of yardage (moving up & down the field), touchdowns (putting points on the board) and also had a much lower interception—ratio per attempt.

Essentially, Manning played and produced at a higher level in every aspect of the game.

Obviously the rules of the game have changed to make it more pass—friendly since the days of Terry Bradshaw (and to a lesser extent, since the days of Elway & Aikman) but even so, there appears to be too large a disparity between the production of the three other quarterbacks in comparison to Manning.

You could make a valid claim that Manning played on a better offensive squad than Elway but I don’t really feel as if the squads that Aikman and Bradshaw played with (considering there were multiple Hall of Famers outside the quarterback position in both instances) were anything to shrug your shoulders at. 

It almost seems as if people don’t really sit back and wonder why a guy like Terry Bradshaw was only selected to three Pro Bowls during his 14—year career.

It wasn’t as if the team and coaching staff he had to work with didn’t provide him with the opportunity to succeed.

Some might say that the Steelers were (and always have been) a running—team and that would explain Bradshaw’s lack of production.

Funny that those fewer passing attempts that resulted from such a game—strategy doesn’t really explain the high—percentage of interceptions which became a specialty of Bradshaw’s as much as throwing touchdowns.

You build teams and strategies around the players you have to work with.

For instance, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been known as a “running—team”.

Would their strategy and game—plan not change greatly if they suddenly had Peyton Manning at quarterback? Or do you think their strategies would remain the same?

Or if the Arizona Cardinals who are known for being a “passing—team” were to suddenly acquire Adrian Peterson?

You can’t honestly expect Peterson to still receive the same amount of carries and opportunities that they gave to Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower.

The Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970’s built their system around the talent they had and the same can be said of the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990’s.

Both teams had running—backs who were more talented than their quarterbacks and as a result, their offensive strategies were structured accordingly.

That is not to say that Terry Bradshaw or Troy Aikman weren’t good quarterbacks, they simply executed their roles to the best of their abilities.

So at the end of the day, what do we have?

Another NFL Network list that was constructed with the aid of little research and the lack of a logical criteria.

Does that upset me?

No, because I (as well as most B/R writers) have the ability to think for myself and do the research necessary to reach a logical conclusion.

But what about the millions of viewers who trust the analysts to be the “experts” they claim to be?

They see individual players who were parts of successful teams and figure “Okay, NFL Network and their experts wouldn’t rank these people in these places without good reason to do so”.

So what we have is masses of people who formulate their own conclusions after hearing what the so—called experts have to say about it.

I’ll provide every reader with the same courtesy that NFL Network has provided to all of us and allow everyone to formulate their own conclusions.

I know personally that I’d love to hear exactly what those conclusions might be.

Seifert Once Told Plummer He Wasn’t Worthy

Many 49ers fans may remember that linebacker Gary Plummer played a crucial role in San Francisco’s fifth Super Bowl run.

What they may not know is that former Coach George “Superstitious” Seifert once told him he was not worthy of playing for the Stanford Cardinal.

That’s correct.

When the Fremont—born Plummer searched for a university to attend after being graduated from the East Bay’s Ohlone College, he ran straight into the doubts of his future Super Bowl coach.

Seifert didn’t think much of the 6—foot, 200—pound linebacker, saying he couldn’t even carry water at Stanford.

Added to that insult was Seifert’s opinion that Plummer wasn’t even worthy of Pac—10 team.

The guy didn’t give up.

In fact, showing a worthy attribute, Plummer was steadfast in his belief that he was fast enough, strong enough, smart enough and motivated enough to play in college.

He walked on at Cal, played nosetackle and then found the NFL didn’t think much of him.

Still, once again showing admirable perseverance, Plummer persisted in his dream.

He played for the Oakland Invaders of the USFL from 1983 to 1985.

The next step was the San Diego Chargers, ’86—’93.

He hit pay dirt with the 49ers, ’94—’97, where he was welcomed “home” with open arms by 49ers Faithful like me.

As Plummer was contemplating where to play after the Chargers, he had to shed a deeply held resentment against Seifert.

It is said that during this period, Seifert told him he may not have been suitable Stanford material, but he had proven he was ready for the 49ers.

It didn’t hurt that the linebacker was now 6—2, nearly 250 pounds and a proven player.

Plus, he could hit hard.

He was the perfect accompaniment to Norton.

The linebacker whom many had doubted became the Super Bowl winner’s most—reliable run—stopper.

The result was a  No.2 ranked San Francisco run defense.

The team’s entire defense prospered for a variety of reasons that year, but Plummer’s contributions and take—no—prisoners attitude cannot be underestimated.

In the playoffs, a ferocious and determined Plummer excelled.

His tough—guy intensity was shared by Norton.

Both were very smart players.

It was a match that helped propel the 49ers to their claim as the first franchise to win five Super Bowls.

(Some day, we’ll make it six and then seven, and ace the Steelers, once again!)

The Super Bowl blow—out victory against San Diego must have been sweet for Plummer, after leaving the Chargers.

This year, he will continue to be the analyst on KNBR’s 49ers broadcasts.

He will also be writing a blog titled “Points of the Game” on the 49ers official Web site.

He’ll do as good a job with that, as he does on the radio, because he is:

1. honest
2. extremely intelligent
3. a former NFL player
4. an experienced analyst
5. not afraid to state his opinion
6. a natural communicator and likeable guy with an innate ability to relate to fans.

 

Report: Michael Vick to Be Suspended Four Games

After ESPN reported earlier today that Michael Vick and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met Wednesday in Allendale, NJ, they are now reporting Vick will be suspended for four games.

According to ESPN’s report, Vick will be conditionally reinstated next week, then suspended four games.

Goodell is also expected to warn Vick that any future problems will result in additional punishment (meaning he’s on a “short leash.”)

Per reinstatement, Vick will be allowed to sign with a team and participate in training camp and preseason.

This news comes just three days after Vick was released from home confinement on Monday.

When SI.com reached NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello, he neither confirmed nor denied the meeting.

“We’ve been consistent about that throughout this process,” Aiello told SI.com. “We’re not responding to any of the questions surrounding the review. Once a decision is made by the commissioner, then we’ll make a statement.”

It is uncertain where Vick will land, but as training camps are set to open next week, he could sign somewhere soon.

 

Michael Vick to Be Conditionally Reinstated, Then Suspended for Four Games

According to Don Banks of SI.com, Michael Vick and Roger Goodell had a sit-down chat today in New Jersey to talk about his future with the NFL.

Now according to ESPN and PFT.com, Goodell has tentatively decided that Vick will be conditionally reinstated, then suspended for the first four games of the 2009 season.

A conditional reinstatement is what we saw with Pacman Jones last offseason. He was allowed to attend training camp and go to practice, but wasn’t guaranteed that he wouldn’t be suspended for a few games.

While Jones did not get further suspension, Vick will not be so lucky.

According to the reports, Goodell has decided to suspend Vick for the first month of the 2009 NFL season. Really, that’s about the best that Vick could have hoped for.

Considering the fact that Vick lied about what he was doing, was caught doing it, then spent nearly two years in a federal prison because of it, four games may be light. Especially considering the iron fist that Goodell has pounded into the NFL and its players several times before.

Will Vick find a new team? That has yet to be seen as no team has stepped up and said, “Yes, we have interest in Michael Vick.” Well, no NFL team anyway.

The Orlando franchise of the UFL currently holds his rights were he to give up on the NFL (or more likely, have the NFL give up on him) and come play for the UFL.

The UFL doesn’t seem to have much of a chance at Vick any longer considering their contract lasts until November 28, long after Vick’s NFL suspension would be up. Also, on top of all that, the UFL would only be able to pay a fraction of what Vick would be making in the NFL.

While this is obviously not set in stone, this appears to be the most probable course of action for the league at this point.

When this is finalized, Vick will be able to sign with any team willing to take a chance on him. The only question is, does such a team exist?

 

Also Check Out 2 Minutes to Midnight Green!

Kickers Are Cute, Too: The 10 Hottest in the NFL

One of my favorite positions in the NFL is the kicker. Normally not quite as physically intimidating as the rest of the squad, the kicker still has the power to make or break a season.

A missed field goal can be a heavy burden to bear when it comes at the expense of a playoff berth.

On the other hand, sending that football directly down the middle of those two yellow posts can whip up a celebratory frenzy faster than bleeding fish in a shark tank. (Gross, I know. I was at a loss for comparisons though).

Even with all of the pressure exerted on these strong-footed men, however, kickers still get no respect. Most people, teammates and coaches included, don’t even consider them “real” football players.

I beg to differ.

I previously penned an article rating, in my personal opinion, the top ten hottest quarterbacks in the league. Now it’s the kickers’ turn.

Because kickers are cute too.

2009 Buffalo Bills Predicted Starting Lineup

Offense

QB- Trent Edwards

RB- Fred Jackson (at the start of the season until Marshawn comes off of his suspension)

FB- Corey McIntyre

WR1- Lee Evans

WR2- Terrell Owens

TE- Shawn Nelson

LT- Langston Walker

LG-Andy Levitre

C- Geoff Hangartner

RG- Eric Wood

RT- Brad Butler

 

Defense

LDE- Aaron Maybin

LDT- Marcus Stroud

RDT- Kyle Williams

RDE- Aaron Schobel

OLB1- Nic Harris

MLB- Paul Posluszny

OLB2- Kawika Mitchell

LCB- Terrence McGee

RCB- Leodis McKelvin

FS- Donte Whitner

SS- Bryan Scott

 

Special Teams

KR- Leodis McKelvin

PR- Roscoe Parrish

LS- Ryan Neil

P- Brian Moorman

H- Brian Moorman

K- Rian Lindell

 

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