Can The Steeler O-Line Protect Big Ben’s Blind Side?

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Being an NFL lineman is a thankless job. Linemen know if they do a good job of blocking and tackling it will go unnoticed, but if he misses a tackle or a block, everyone notices.

Left tackle over all the offensive linemen has become a pivotal position whose purpose is to protect the QB blind side from dominant pass-rushers.

A left tackle’s responsibility is to block elite pass rushers and if that tackle makes a mistake, it can result in a sack or a fumble if the quarterback is hit from behind.

It is because of these turnovers that not only determine the outcome of any game but has made the position at left tackle an integral part of the line as the blind-side protector.

Most teams in the NFL generally slide their protection to the quarterback’s blind side, which is almost always the left.

So much has been given to former Steeler LT Alan Faneca and his abilities to protect the blind side, but my argument has been in the last three years as a Steeler did not do such a good job protecting Roethlisberger’s blind side when he was sacked 140 times from 2005-2007.

Now, this responsibility now belongs to Max Starks.

Starks, drafted in 2004, became a starter in 2005 playing R tackle.

In 2007, Starks lost R tackle to rookie Willie Colon, and played the last 4 games of the season at left tackle in place of the injured Marvel Smith.

Earlier this year, Stark signed a 4-year contact worth $ 26.3 million dollars as the Steelers’ left tackle alongside LG Chris Kemoeatu.

Less we forget, in 2003, there was another R tackle who signed a 6-year $26 million contract to move left and replace released tackle Wayne Gandy – Marvel Smith.

Smith had never played left tackle and it was unknown if he could but the Steelers gave him that contract and I don’t think the Steelers regretted the move.

Starks did play some left before being moved there permanently, so hopefully with the support of Chris Kemoeatu, the Steelers will not regret the $26 million they agreed to give Starks.

One of my co-workers, Todd, brought Starks to mind when he observed how Starks and Kemoeatu work well together.

Kemoeatu, a power run blocker loves to kill people coming around the edge whether its goal line or a trap play.

With one year as a starter under his belt, Kemoeatu has improved on his pass-protection skills to support Starks on passing downs.

At center, Justin Hartwig supports Kemoeatu by isolating the nose tackle or DT, enabling Kemoeatu free to support the blind side with Starks.

Hartwig is able to provide inside help for the Kemoeatu and Kemoeatu is able to protect Starks’ inside.

The three then work together to block the two defensive linemen while eyeing their other responsibility, the weak-side linebacker, which could leave Essex and Colon one-on-one.

Although it’s still pre-season, the left side has allowed one sack on Roethlisberger in 3 games.

The Buffalo game, Starks lined up with Doug Legursky at left, and struggled to keep clean QB Charlie Batch’s blind side as Batch found himself in hurried situations which resulted in incomplete or overthrown passes.

Today, it’s been reported Darnell Stapleton was put on the IR for the rest of the season.

Legursky looks to be on the depth chart and must be able to fit in left or right of the line.

Cohesiveness of the offensive line is paramount for a successful running and passing game if the Steelers expect to make it to the post-season.

The left side has got to continue to improve in keeping Roethlisberger clean by reducing the number of sacks this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFC East: Who Will Take Home The Title This Year?

Arguably the toughest division in the NFC, the NFC East, has some of the top teams in the NFL including the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants who all finished in the top 15 last year on both offense and defense. 

That is, except the Washington offense, which ranked 19th.

The NFC East sent two teams to the playoffs including the Philadelphia Eagles who played in the NFC Championship Game to the Arizona Cardinals.

Which of the toughest teams will win the NFC East this year?  Here are the picks:

4. Washington Redskins: The Redskins did not do a lot to improve their team. They will still perform hopefully a little better this year with more experience. They will ride the arm of Jason Campbell who gets more comfortable each year. 

Campbell has the support of Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El.  The Redskins have a two-headed monster in running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts.

The Redskins defense ranked fourth last year. They return big men inside in Cornelius Griffin and Albert Haynesworth and used their draft choice on Brian Orakpo. 

Orakpo will most likely start this year while assisting London Fletcher at linebacker. Do not forget about the corners, DeAngelo Hall and Carlos Rogers.

The Redskins have an easy schedule because they got last place in their division last year. They play St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Denver, and New Orleans at home.  The only real challenge is New Orleans. On the road, they travel to Detroit, Carolina, Atlanta, Oakland, and San Diego.

3. Dallas Cowboys: Yes, he caused a lot of problems and has a big mouth, but the cutting of Terrell Owens could play a factor in the offense this year. Tony Romo will still have Roy Williams, formerly a Detroit Lion, and Jason Witten to throw to. 

He will also have Jon Kitna as a backup in case anything happens. Romo will have help with Marion Barber and Felix Jones in the backfield.

The defense ranked eighth last year and signed all their draft picks. Michael Hamlin will probably start at free safety which could be a great move or a risky one. The professional game is much faster than the college game and will be quite an adjustment for Hamlin. 

The Cowboys have a good linebacking group with Anthony Spencer, Bradie James, Keith Brooking, and DeMarcus Ware.

The schedule for the Cowboys has some tough games and some easy ones. They travel to Tampa Bay, Denver, Kansas City, Green Bay, and New Orleans while hosting Carolina, Atlanta, Seattle, Oakland, and San Diego.

2. New York Giants: Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs are the biggest assets on the Giants this year. 

The loss of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer could prove fatal. They do still have Shaun Bodiford, David Tyree, Steve Smith, and Mario Manningham. That may not be enough to win the division though.

The Giants finished fifth in overall defense last year. They have a great defensive line with Mathias Kiwanuka, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora and also have good support with Antonio Pierce and Kevin Dockery.

The Giants have a decent schedule. They host Oakland, Arizona, San Diego, Atlanta, and Carolina, but will travel to Tampa Bay, Kansas City, New Orleans, Denver, and Minnesota.

1. Philadelphia Eagles: The team with the X-Factor usually wins the NFC East. This could be a stretch, but Michael Vick will be the X-Factor this year. Yes, it is preseason, but he looks really good so far. 

Having Vick and Donovan McNabb in formations together will help boost this offense.  That is saying a lot since they finished ninth last year. 

They also have great wide receivers, led by Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson. Backing them up is Jason Avant and Jeremy Maclin. Do not forget about Brian Westbrook at running back either.

The Eagles finished third last year in total defense. Look for them to retain that strength. They have a strong secondary with Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Quintin Mikell, and Quintin Demps. 

The defense is not amazing, but they are consistent.

DeSean Jackson and draft pick Jeremy Maclin will help the special teams with their kick returns. They have lightning feet and great moves. Look for Jackson or Maclin to return a few for touchdowns this year.

The schedule could hurt the Eagles, but they should be able to lock up some big wins.  They head to Carolina, Oakland, San Diego, Chicago, and Atlanta. The Eagles will host New Orleans, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, San Francisco, and Denver.

Tedy Bruschi: A True NFL All-Star

Look up the definition of a TRUE NFL role model and Tedy Bruschi’s face should be right there. I was trying to think of some ways to describe him and there’s so many like fighter, overcomer, legend, happy, champion, leader, good role model, veteran, pro bowler, hall of famer.

The list just goes on and on, the NFL will definitely miss him he was one of a very few select people who were well respected and liked by all. There’s no doubt in my mind he will someday be a Hall of Famer.

He was a leader and a major part of the 3 super bowls the Patriots won. No one will ever forget his accomplishments.

I’d like to take a few minutes to look back on some of his amazing career and accomplishments.

Begin Slideshow

Week Four Preseason: Oakland Raiders to Watch for

Continuing in my preseason series, I bring you the third edition of my “players to watch” series.
Last week, I failed to submit an article. I knew the starters would get a lot of play, so there was no need to address any back-ups, or “bubble” players to watch for.
As many of you know, offensive guard Marcus Johnson was cut, as well as center Jonathan Compas, wide receiver’s Will Franklin and Shawn Bayes, and newcomer defensive tackle—forgive me, I cannot remember his name—oh yeah, Joe Cohen.
So then, there were 75. seventy-five vying for fifty three spots. But, eighty guys who forgot to show up last week…oh yeah, we are moving on…whatever.
So here we go, one more week of meaningless nonsense, and then on to San Diego, where we will get our first “real” glimpse of the running attack…FINALLY!
Without futher ado, I give to you four players to watch this week, who will be playing their hearts out in hopes that the other guy gets cut instead of them.
Here we go.

Begin Slideshow

The Case for Colt Brennan

If there’s one reason why Washington coaches, fans, and most NFL enthusiasts should root for Colt Brennan to keep his spot with the team, it lies in a characteristic that Brennan possesses that no other quarterback on the roster could ever hope to find.

The confidence that he will make any and every throw he attempts.

Sure, Washington fans grimace and frown their faces up when Colt Brennan throws garbage time, goal-line interceptions. but they’ve got to love the fact that Brennan has enough faith in his arm, in the play call, and in the receiver that he has no qualms about letting it go. Unlike his counterpart Jason Campbell, he hasn’t shown the regard for smarts that can yield a 6.8 yard per attempt average.

It hasn’t worked out well for him this year, but it’s this same kind of swagger that endeared him to local fans in 2008 when he made Diamond City his personal Big Island.

It’s the same kind of swagger that allows Brennan to keep an even demeanor on great plays and epic gaffes. And its the same kind of swagger that will create a true quarterback controversy when, sans Jason Campbell, the team pursues Colt McCoy in the 2010 draft.

Much of the roster is extremely comfortable with Colt Brennan and his ability. And why? For the exact reasons why they are lukewarm on support for Campbell.

Because they’d rather go to war with a confident, cocky trigger man than a cautious, cannon-armed QB.

The Colt Brennan story is set up too good to have the awkward ending some Washington fans are hoping for: Record-setting college quarterback goes low in the draft, only to battle his way through his first three years as a professional. Through circumstances only fate or Daniel Snyder could author, he becomes the QB the town was always waiting for—a big arm with a big mouth and a penchant for victory.

 

 

Book Review: ‘Resurrection’ by Jim Dent

Inept coaching. An administration de-emphasizing football. Highly-touted recruits who didn’t produce on the field. The team’s best talent rotting on the bench. Dwindling fan support.

What has been true of the past decade of Irish football was true in the 1950s and early 60s, as Notre Dame followed Frank Leahy’s tenure with a series of under qualified coaches and dismal records.

That is, until 1964, when the administration broke its tradition of hiring alumni of Irish descent and signed an Armenian Presbyterian to be there new head coach. If he could succeed and run a clean program at Northwestern, there’s no reason why Ara Parseghian couldn’t do it at Notre Dame.

Resurrection: The Miracle Season That Saved Notre Dame follows Parseghian and some of that rotting talent as they put together one of the most memorable years in Notre Dame’s long history.

Resurrection follows the miracle theme by highlighting, among others, Tony Carey, All-American Nick Rassas, NFL legend Jack Snow, and Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte, all of whom rarely saw the field before Parseghian took over. Jim Dent, author of The Junction Boys, does a fantastic job of intertwining the players’ and coaches’ stories with the events of the day, like the mourning of JFK and the advent of the British Invasion.

If you’re a fan of the Era of Ara like we are, there’s no reason not to love this book (especially thanks to a cameo appearance by Coach Yonto that’s sure to elicit a smile from those who knew him). In building a chronological library of Notre Dame football history, Resurrection picks up where Shake Down the Thunder and Leahy’s Lads left off.

Resurrection is due out September 1 from St. Martin’s Press and Thomas Dunne Books. Thanks to both for the advance copy.

Book Review: ‘Rough & Tumble’ by Mark Bavaro

A true football novel can only be written by someone who played the game. Mark Bavaro makes that clear from the first chapter of his debut novel, Rough & Tumble. It’s one thing to say a tight end ran a five-yard hitch to make a catch, it’s quite another to spend two pages describing every little juke, maneuver, and evasion technique it took to slip past the defense to get in place to make the catch.

But Rough & Tumble isn’t a dry, drawn-out story about play on the field. It’s a fast, enthralling look at the full life of a football player—from the morning routine on the trainer’s table, to the boredom of team meetings, to the cheap shots suffered on even the most basic of plays.

Bavaro’s alter-ego Dom Fucillo must deal with a cast of characters that surely are already familiar to Giants fans—a hard-nosed head coach, a star linebacker who parties too hard, and an injured quarterback whose main concern is a future in broadcasting.

But those aren’t Fucillo’s only demons, as he also must deal with an estranged girlfriend, a faith that has become more superstition than religion, and injuries that could end his career at any moment.

If Bavaro deserves any criticism for Rough & Tumble, it’s from his fine literary skills outshining the supposed lack of intelligence of his first-person narrator, Fucillo. Still, all of that is quickly lost in an entertaining and exciting story.

The paperback version of Rough & Tumble is available September 1 from St. Martin’s Press and Thomas Dunne Books. Thank you to St. Martin’s and Thomas Dunne for an advance copy.

So Long, Farewell B/R

In what seemed like a long friendship between b/r and myself, I now must cut short.

I joined b/r a few months ago and really enjoyed all it had to offer. My first few articles were simple slide shows, but as time went on, I really developed a new type of writing. I didn’t know I had it in me, and I really enjoyed the writing, as well as the research.

After I reached my 50th article, I decided to apply for an opening for a Featured Columnist on the NASCAR page. After a few days, I received an e-mail stating that I was not going to get the position.

I kept my head up, and a couple of weeks later, I saw there was another Featured Columnist opening for the Indianapolis Colts, a team in which I cover in depth, and my hometown NFL team.

After applying for that position and receiving the same response, I have finally decided to call it quits on b/r.

I may be throwing in the towel, raising the white flag, or whatever, but I have some other things lined up that will actually pay me for my writing.

I will continue to write regularly on the Colts’ blog, and I will begin covering the Pacers in depth on a different website as well.

It was great getting to know everyone, and there are some really talented people on this website, and I encourage you all to explore your options, and do what is best for yourself.

If you ever feel your writing isn’t getting enough recognition, or it could be better served on another site, go for it!

I will be closing my account shortly after this final post, but I want to thank everyone who helped get me started on this website, as well as those who were able to guide me through other doors to get to where I am now.

If you ever need to get in touch with me about some work or whatever, you can reach me at: chadsmith5@yahoo.com

Thanks again to all of you that helped me in my short time here at b/r and with my writing in general.

Take care, and goodnight.

The Jaws Of Victory: Beware The 2009 Packers

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the Frozen Tundra….

Despite recent events, it is no longer worthwhile talking about a decrepit, beat up 1991 Buick Skylark when the current model of the Green Bay Packers offense is a 2005 Dodge Viper.  As hard as it is to believe, Aaron Rodgers has been lighting up teams all preseason and yet still everyone is talking about Favre and his wannabe down in Chicago.  What does Aaron Rodgers have to do to get a fair shake around here?

As much as all the fans are raving about Rodgers’ performance this preseason, no one in the mainstream media is paying much attention to number 12.  Everyone is salivating over Chicago’s supposed best quarterback since Jim McMahon, the number one overall pick in Detroit, and the arrival of He Who Shall Not Be Named in Minnesota.  Rodgers, meanwhile, still somehow flies below the radar despite becoming only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in his first season as the starter.

You know what? Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy don’t care.  In fact, I think they are both salivating right now.  The Packers’ first teamers are playing lights out on both sides of the ball right now, and no one is paying any attention. “Detroit went 4-0 in the preseason last year! Look how that turned out!” people are saying.

WRONG!  Detroit’s preseason wins were actually due to the fact that the second and third stringers won those games.  The Packers’ starters this year have gotten the lead and the second and third teams merely maintained it.  It’s apples and oranges.

The Packers should adopt the “Theme from Jaws” as the team anthem this year.  They are going to sneak up on teams that don’t even know they are coming, even though they should had they been paying attention in August.  There is going to be pain and suffering across the NFC North.

It’s not just Rodgers that’s could be devouring the competition, either.  The patchwork offensive line that McCarthy finally settled on a week ago has shown signs it will gel very quickly.  Defensive coordinator Dom Capers’ new 3-4 scheme has been implemented with minimum speed bumps and the unit is a turnover forcing machine (and Capers is allegedly only showing ONE THIRD of his playbook!)  Defensive end turned linebacker Aaron Kampman has shown he can still rush the passer with the best of them. 

Now , could all this hype turn out to be a major bummer for the Packer faithful? Sure.  The Packers are shaky at the quarterback position behind Rodgers, though Matt Flynn was showing promise in the preseason before injuring his shoulder.  Linebacker Nick Barnett has yet to see action and there is no guarantee he will return to his previous form before undergoing knee surgery last year, causing him to miss most of the 2008 campaign.  The punting situation looks grim, and a couple blocked punts could be the difference maker in a couple of games. The injury bug can strike any team at any time at any position.

Let’s be honest here: preseason predictions are based on a whole lot of ‘what ifs.’  People assume things will go one way or the other and they have no clue which was some things will go..  Despite this, I think we can guarantee one thing about the Green Bay Packers’ 2009 season:

It will be fun.  Duh dummm….duh dummmm…

Denver Broncos: No State Of Defense

Still a work in progress….

For those of us that engage in the country’s unofficial second national past-time of fantasy football, it’s no secret that the Broncos defense is one to avoid in fantasy drafts.

While those in the Mile High area are hopeful that this reputation won’t precede this year’s edition, after watching their Sunday night debut, there’s still much work to be done.

While it was only the team’s third preseason game, this match-up had a little home flavor and enough incentive to bring out their “A” game.

Making his return to the Mile High area, the Bronco’s former starting quarterback Jay Cutler should have been more than enough to motivate Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and the defense to bring it. Instead, it was Cutler that brought it Sunday night and got the better of this match-up, completing 15 of 21 for 144-yards and a touchdown.

With all the changes that head coach Josh McDaniels made on defense by adding veteran players like Brian Dawkins, Andre Goodman, Andra Davis, and Renaldo Hill, the defense has a long road ahead. Some may view the changes with great optimism, but Sunday night clearly exposed some of the same short comings of the team’s defensive play in the past; no quarterback pressure.

Against the Bears, the Bronco’s defenses on occasion came close to getting to Cutler, but were never able to put him on the ground. It’s been a familiar theme, and  the 2009 version did not seem to show any noticeable improvements.

Again, it was only the team’s third preseason game so you might not expect to see to many complicated blitz packages, but if Denver fans were ever hoping to see a sign that times could be changing, playing against the Bears and Jay Cutler seemed to be the perfect excuse.

What to Expect in 2009….

There’s no question this unit is going to have to find a way to bring more heat up the middle and pressure on the edges if they are going to have any success.

Linebackers DJ Williams and Andra Davis look ready to thrive in Nolan’s new 3-4 scheme, and safety Brian Dawkins looks like he could have at least one more Pro Bowl season left in him. But, the lack of pressure is going to put a lot of demands on the secondary in pass coverage, an area the team struggled with in 2008 (ranked 26th).

The Broncos problems don’t lie in speed,  but size in the middle could become an Achilles unless players like Kenny Peterson, Ronald Fields, and Ryan McBean really step up this season and make a difference. Optimism can only offer so much hope, something the Denver defense is going to need lots of this season.

Fantasy owners shouldn’t expect any significant jumps of improvement from the Bronco’s defense this season that would generate any drafting interest.

We have no doubt that with McDaniels enthusiasm and Nolan’s influence, this unit will get better, but middle of the pack is going to be a realistic landing spot for the team. The defense will be loaded with plenty of talent again this season, but it will take Nolan and his staff some time to develop its’ chemistry and effectiveness.

While this unit may not be worthy to draft in leagues that employ team defenses, it could very well be an attractive waiver wire option much later in the season.

Keep watch, take plenty of notes, and let’s see where things stand in the second half. That’s my take and I’m sticking to it.

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