The Miami Dolphins Could Be In Big Trouble!

The Miami Dolphins are going to have a long and difficult season.  I hope I am wrong, but unless drastic improvements occur, I am right.

I am a lifelong Dolphin fan. I have also been a sports talk radio host for 16 years. I am 41 years old. I have always been objective and brutally honest about my Dolphins. I didn’t ever want my listeners to think I was being a homer.

But when the Dolphins lose, it still ruins my day, weekend, week, and potentially season.

It has been horrible the last eight years, but I got used to the pain. Last year was the first time in forever that I felt like they were my Dolphins again.

I was very excited for this season to start, and felt Miami improved in the off season. They are 3-0 in the preseason, but have so many essential problems that, barring improvement, will lead to a painful-to-watch year.

The pass defense is an embarrassment. If Byron Leftwich had any touch or accuracy the Bucs would have demolished Miami. I am sick to my stomach. Three games in a row now, and receivers and tight ends have roamed down the middle of the field, wide open.

Jacksonville, Carolina, and Tampa Bay easily got their starters and scrubs wide open on short and long passes over the middle. It is horrifyingly reminiscent of the Tom Olivadotti era.

The only good thing I have seen from the Dolphins’ pass defense has been their coverage against the bomb and their ability to tighten up in the red zone. Other than that, getting open against Miami is embarrassingly easy.

The Dolphins also are having very serious tackling troubles. There have been big break-away runs in all three exhibition games, and no Dolphin defender seems immune to the problem. Both the veterans and rookies have been posterized on a regular basis. I am having nightmares of Thurman Thomas running all over Miami again and again.

The Dolphins can’t run the ball. Period. Jake Grove is a mind blowing bust as a free agent pick up from the Raiders. He was supposed to be the black-and-blue anchor of the line as the new center. It hasn’t happened.

Donald Thomas recently eased Dolphins’ fans fears with his tough and steady play at right guard. If Grove and Thomas don’t become more dominant in the run blocking game, Miami is in big trouble. Jake Long and Justin Smiley are not moving anybody off the line on the left side, that is for sure. Long is have trouble in pass blocking for crying out loud!

The Dolphins’ punt and kick return games have to be the worst in the league. They are pathetically pedestrian. Miami is so desperate at these positions, that they have now returned Ted Ginn and Davone Bess to the positions.

I don’t want my number one wide receiver returning kicks, and Davone Bess just dances all day long. I love him as a receiver, but he is a joke as a punt returner.

This means the Dolphins’ will face long fields all season, with a dink-and-dunk offense that can’t run the ball. That sounds like fun.

My only hope is a long shot. The prayer that Parcells and Sparano are holding their boys back. Miami has to play all of their preseason opponents again in the regular season. The kid in me says that the Dolphins are fooling their foes to sleep.

But the tape doesn’t lie, and I am not a kid anymore. The first team Miami faces will destroy them if there are not massive improvements. On September 13th Matt Ryan will find Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White wide open all day long on the lightning fast turf of the Georgia Dome.

I don’t even want to think about what Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood will do to Miami. It could be unflatteringly ugly.

I hope that I am wrong.

Seattle Seahawks: A Look at Preseason Player Developments

With the first two weeks of the NFL preseason under our belts let us take a look at the new player developments and their impact on the team.

O-Line

If the offensive line is ineffective, it just doesn’t matter who else is on the team.  This is why so many preseason concerns, on any team, swirl around the O-Line.  Developing a core group of guys takes time, which makes it really hard to make an accurate judgement of a squad until the regular season opens up.  So far this preseason, the front five continue to be shuffled around amid the lingering injury nightmare of 2008.  Nine time Pro-Bowler Walter Jones is most likely out for the season.  Bad news for the Hawks, but the 35 year old, 325 pounder’s career had to end sometime.  At least with this happening prior to the regular season it means more snaps for Sean Locklear early on, avoiding a mid-season transition.  The O-Line has proved resilient to this shuffling, only allowing three sacks in two preseason games. 

Key Preseason development Chris Spencer

Spencer, who missed six games last season, was bitten again by the injury bug in the second quarter of the first pre-season game vs. San Diego.  A diagnosed left thigh muscle tear will most likely sideline him for the first two or three games of the regular season.  This leaves the O-Line anchor position to Steve Vallos, who started every game that Spencer missed in 2008.  With Spencer out and Vallos in the temporary starting role, look for rookie second round draft pick Max Unger to see some playing time, at center or right guard, earlier than expected in the regular season.

Run Game

The Seahawks have out rushed their opponents so far this pre-season 164 yards to 136 yards.  Look for the Hawks offense to have improved ability to control the pace of the game through the run with a more effective compliment to Julius Jones.

Key Preseason development Edgerrin James

The recent acquisition of the NFL’s 11th all time rushing leader, Edgerrin James, will provide the offense with a strong veteran compliment to starter Juilius Jones.  James, who was a part of a similar zone running scheme in Indianapolis, should fit well in Seattle’s style of offense considering his shifty, power running style, and experience in the zone blocking schemes.  When asked in recent interview about offensive coordinator, Greg Knapp’s system, James responded, “Damn, why couldn’t I have been in this system three years ago?”

James, also brings the veteran leadership from an underdog, Super Bowl caliber team that could prove valuable as the Seahawks look to bounce back from a 4-12 record in 2008.

Passing Game

Everything else aside, when Hasselbeck went down last year, that was the end of it.  A healthy Matt Hasselbeck is the key to a successful aerial assault in 2009.  Hasselbeck looked good in last week’s win over the Broncos going 19 for 28 with 198 yards and two touchdowns.

Key Preseason Development T.J. Houshmandzadeh

The signing of the Oregon State alumni T.J. Houshmandzadeh will give QB Matt Hasselbeck a proven target and a go to red-zone threat.  Houshmandzadeh has averaged 98 catches per year from 2006 to 2008.  At 6’2” 203 pounds, Houshmandzadeh’s height and physicality makes him a domineering force for a slot receiver that will be especially utilized over the middle and in red-zone situations.  This acquisition must be relieving for Matt Hasselbeck and the rest of the offense considering the leading 2008 Seahawks receiver amassed a puny 47 catches. 

The Box: D-Line/ Line-Backers

If it wasn’t so easy to pass on the Seahawks last year, teams would have just ran over these guys.  The D-Line unit was given a make-over this offseason with the additions of Cory Redding and Colin Cole. This moved Patrick Kerney to the right-end position and Brandon Mebane from nose-tackle to the three technique.  With these changes to the line, “the Uglies”, Tatupu, Hill and Curry, should be less tied up with blockers, freeing them to roam the flats, rush the passer, and makes plays.

Key Preseason Development Colin Cole

The addition of DT Colin Cole brings some beef to a somewhat undersized middle of the D-Line.  If Cole can throw around that 330 pound frame of his, he should be able open up blitz lanes for Tatupu. This will clog the running lanes up the middle forcing teams to try to take their game to the outside to take on Kerney, Redding, and the linebackers.

Secondary

The 2008 Seahawks ranked dead last in pass defense averaging 259.3 yards per game.  This wasn’t squarely on the shoulders of the of the secondary, the guys up front didn’t put much pressure on the quarterback. The defensive-backs were solid cover defenders, but honestly, they were soft.  No receiver was hesitant or thought twice about laying out for the ball in front of these guys.

Key Preseason Development Ken Lucas

The offseason return of hard hitting CB Ken Lucas will bring some punch back to the Seattle’s finesse style secondary.  Lucas isn’t known for interceptions, he only tallied two in 2008.  Hopefully he’ll be closer to his career high of six INTs in a season, which he had with Seattle in the 2004-05 season, but that’s not what he’s here for.  Lucas is here to play fast and lay hat.  While his aggressive closing speed will provide solid run support, his most substantial disruption will be his tendency to provoke the sprouting of gator arms from opposing wide receivers.  Lucas’s presence in the secondary seems even more crucial now with the development of Marcus Trufant’s disc ailment. 

So far, the Seahawks seem to have the talent to meet the high expectations of the upcoming season, this doesn’t mean there’s not alot of work to be done.  In the first two preseason games the defense has allowed 666 passing yards.  With eight sacks, I’m pointing the finger at the secondary.  If the Hawks can lock down the pass defense on the defensive backs side of things it looks like they could be a playoff contender. That’s assuming, of course, they aren’t again hit with a freakish injury plague like in 2008.  Let’s just say Trufant, Jones, and Spencer pose a bit of an ominous sign though.

Hey Broncos, No One Wants Brandon Marshall, You’re Stuck With Him

No that’s not Brandon Llyod wearing number 84, that’s disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Marshall with a scout-team jersey. And yes, those are Bronco pajama bottoms. He sure takes practice seriously.

First that, and then his recent antics in practice. Marshall is making the Broncos’ practices, and the organization as a whole, look like a joke. Not only that, but he made himself look like an immature fool while killing any interest any other NFL team may have had in him.

As punishment, the Broncos gave him a two week suspension…That’ll teach him.

All that, and the Broncos claim they aren’t going to trade him and haven’t been in negotiations with other teams.

Bull shit.

If you believe that, then you’re probably one of those people who believed Cutler wouldn’t be traded, Santa Claus filled your stockings, Favre would stay retired, and the war was over after Bush’s “victory achieved speech.”

Now, because all of that happened, the Broncos have lost all leverage they had in trading Marshall. Even if they wanted to trade him now, it is pretty much too late. They should have traded him before he made a jackass of himself, killing his trade value.

No doubt the Broncos have been working day and night to get rid of this head-case. The only problem is no one else wants him. Or at least, no one will pay what the Broncos want, which is likely in the neighborhood of a first and a third-round draft-pick.

The Broncos are stuck with their high-flying, injury-prone, suspension-prone, arrest-prone, problem child of a receiver.

The Giants don’t want him and their fans don’t want the baggage that comes with him. Plus the Giants just spent two draft picks on receivers Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden.

The Ravens don’t want him; Derrick Mason just pulled a Brett Favre and un-retired. Plus, the Ravens don’t deal with players with off-the-field issues and character issues.

The Jets don’t want him simply for the same reason the Ravens don’t want him. Former Ravens DC Rex Ryan doesn’t deal with head-cases like Marshall, either.

The 49ers don’t want him; they already have enough diva receivers in Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis. Why give up another first-round draft-pick just to add another talented distraction. Plus, I don’t think Marshall is the type to be motivated by male frontal nudity.

The Bears? Yeah, I’m sure they’re interested, but Marshall will not land on the Bears as long as the Broncos have anything to say about it.

You can just simply rule out the rest of the AFC west because the Broncos won’t trade him within the division. And the other three teams in the AFC west won’t even consider Marshall unless they know they are getting the upper hand in the deal.

Then you can go ahead and rule out all of the Broncos’ 2009 opponents. How would it make the Broncos look if Marshall came back to Denver on an opposing team, only to have a huge game in a win over the Broncos.

The only way I see anyone trading for Marshall is if one team becomes desperate before the week six trade deadline, like the Cowboys did last year.

The Broncos can’t even just cut or release Marshall. If they do, then they run the risk of him being reunited with Cutler, or even worse, being picked up by a division rival.

So what’s going to happen with Brandon Marshall?

The simple answer is Bronco fans are going to get exactly what they all wanted…Brandon Marshall will remain a Denver Bronco.

And not only do they get Brandon Marshall, they get a huge distraction who undermines the coaching. They get a disgruntled player who cares more about himself than the team and will negatively influence some of the younger Broncos. And quite simply, they get a waste of roster space and talent.

But that is what the Broncos are stuck with.

There Must Be Something In The Water…Yet Another Idiot Wide Receiver

There must be something in the water this offseason because NFL wide receivers have been off the chain in 2009.

Plaxico Burress, Donte’ Stallworth, Michael Crabtree, Roddy White, and now, Brandon Marshall.

It’s ridiculous the level of immaturity being shown by these “grown a– men”; it reminds me of that scene in Jerry Maguire when the guy is crying to Firestone about how “people just don’t understand the kind of pressure that $50 million come with”…Seriously?

Here’s the problem, these guys get paid to play a game that comes naturally to them. It’s not their fault that they are talented and well-respected for their skills. No, not at all, but some of these guys need a reality check.

Plaxico Burress: you shot yourself in the leg after carrying an unlicensed firearm into a public place. Did the security guard let you in? Yes. Did that make it any less illegal? No. The punishment is jail. It is what it is—you made your bed…

Donte’ Stallworth: you got behind the wheel while you were still loaded to the gills. Did the pedestrian jaywalk? Uh huh. Does it relieve you of the crime? No. Why? Because you were more in the wrong than he was simply by being behind the wheel. Did the NFL need to suspend you? Yep. Was it for too long? Nope—you made your bed….

Michael Crabtree: you played a couple nice years at Texas Tech. Your pass-happy offense gave you the benefit that players like A.J. Green of Georgia and Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M don’t have in that you were the primary target on most every play.

You reaped the rewards of that by being a top 10 pick. Does that mean you are a future Hall of Fame candidate? No. It means you have a chance to prove you are not a fluke. Period.

That said, don’t be mad because you aren’t getting Top Five respect like Heyward-Bey.

Oakland wanted him, not you. Keep being a fool and you will be a free agent like former USC wide receiver Mike Williams—no jersey and no team to call your own.

Roddy White: glad you got your contract, big guy, but you are no Larry Fitzgerald. Never will be.

That said, now that you have your money, Falcons fans and brass alike will expect your best Fitzgerald impression.

That means no dropped passes…when you are wide open…in the end zone.

If you can’t manage to maintain or sustain your level of “greatness,” expect to be ridiculed and ostracized. Don’t be mad if that happens either because you made your bed…

Which brings me to Brandon Marshall.

What the hell?

All he hasn’t done is fall on the ground and rock back and forth in the fetal position. He is quickly becoming a lecherous commodity with no value whatsoever in the league.

He’s had a couple nice years with Jay Cutler throwing him the ball but even before that, he was getting into unnecessary trouble and making poor choices off the field.

Even Jay Cutler had to call him out on his idiocy at one point—this isn’t new behavior from Brandon. The difference now is that he is being a petulant child as opposed to just an immature adult.

I’m actually starting to feel a little sorry for Coach Josh McDaniels; he seems to be losing control over this team at a frenetic pace. It may be time for him to take another page from his former boss Bill Belichick and lay a firm hand down on these guys before it really gets out of hand.

Look at Randy Moss. Obviously Bill knows a little something about petulant wide receivers.

As for our boy Brandon, it’s obvious he’s feeling a little overwhelmed by a new playbook, a new coach, and a new quarterback. That’s okay. However, his refusal to act like a man about it has him looking like he may need some mental health attention.

To him, I say, it’s time for you to get your act together and do what’s best for your career because, despite what you might think, no one is irreplaceable in the NFL.

But on the other hand, if you choose to continue this stupidity and make yourself into a mockery of a man whom no team—not even the Cincinnati Bengals—would want to claim, well then, you made your bed…

Composite NFL Power Rankings

Yaaay, it’s football season!  Yaaay, it’s power rankings time! I may not have the credibility to properly rank the 32 NFL teams, but I can certainly calculate the averages of all the credible Power Rankings, and tell you how I feel about it. 

Here is the 2009 preseason edition of my Composite NFL Power Rankings:

1. New England Patriots

–    ESPN.com 2
–    CBSSports.com 1
–    FoxSports.com 2
–    WhatIfSports.com 2
–    AVERAGE 1.75

My Take: The Patriots don’t have any significant weaknesses, so I would also rank them No. 1 heading into the season.  I cut the sleeves off because it looks awesome, get your head in the game!

2. Pittsburgh Steelers
–    ESPN.com 1
–    CBSSports.com 2
–    FoxSports.com 1
–    WhatIfSports.com 5
–    AVERAGE 2.25

My Take: They get a free pass at No. 1 in several power rankings because they won the Super Bowl, but the Steeler’s O-Line needs to show some improvement this season before I would rank them this high.

3. Philadelphia Eagles
–    ESPN.com 4
–    CBSSports.com 3
–    FoxSports.com 3
–    WhatIfSports.com 1
–    AVERAGE 2.75

My Take: The averages put the Eagles right where I would rank them heading into 2009.  The offensive line should improve with the acquisition of Jason Peters, and Philly had a solid draft to give the team depth at running back and wide receiver. I expect them to make a run at the Super Bowl.

4. New York Giants
–    ESPN.com 3
–    CBSSports.com 6
–    FoxSports.com 7
–    WhatIfSports.com 4
–    AVERAGE 5.00

My Take: With Osi Umenyiora back in the mix, the defensive line should be back to its Super Bowl form.  I expect the Giants to have the best defense in the league, and I would rank them just behind New England.

5. Arizona Cardinals
–    ESPN.com 12
–    CBSSports.com 5
–    FoxSports.com 5
–    WhatIfSports.com 6
–    AVERAGE 7.00

My Take: They should have a good offense once again, but I never rank a team in the top five until it displays an effective running game.

6.  San Diego Chargers
–    ESPN.com 6
–    CBSSports.com 9
–    FoxSports.com 9
–    WhatIfSports.com 9
–    AVERAGE 8.25

My Take: The Chargers quite possibly have the most talent of any team in the NFL.  If their defense becomes dominant again with the return of Shawne Merriman, I think this team could be the favorite to win it all.  I would rank them in the top five at least, and possibly even ahead of the Eagles.

7.  Indianapolis Colts
–    ESPN.com 5
–    CBSSports.com 4
–    FoxSports.com 10
–    WhatIfSports.com 14
–    AVERAGE 8.25

My Take:  The Colts had some major changes this offseason, but the team should be a playoff contender once again, despite the coaching changes.  The roster has been retooled in an attempt to improve on their major weaknesses in the running game and on the defensive line.  They should be a top five or six team.

8. Atlanta Falcons
–    ESPN.com 8
–    CBSSports.com 7
–    FoxSports.com 4
–    WhatIfSports.com 17
–    AVERAGE 9.00

My Take:  If Matt Ryan continues to improve, the Falcons will be a great team.  I would rank them borderline top 10, but I don’t think they’re a better team than the Titans.

9. Tennessee Titans
–    ESPN.com 7
–    CBSSports.com 11
–    FoxSports.com 6
–    WhatIfSports.com 15
–    AVERAGE 9.75

My Take: The Titans had the best regular season record last year, and I expect them to be a contender again in 2009 even though losing Albert Haynesworth is no small matter.  Even if the Titans are significantly worse without the big defensive tackle, Jeff Fisher will fake-punt and onside-kick the team to a 12-4 record.

10.  Minnesota Vikings
–    ESPN.com 9
–    CBSSports.com 17
–    FoxSports.com 11
–    WhatIfSports.com 3
–    AVERAGE 10.00

My Take: Does Brett Favre really help them at all?  Maybe for the first eight games, before his arm tuckers out.  I wouldn’t rank the Vikings in the top 10.

11. Dallas Cowboys
–    ESPN.com 14
–    CBSSports.com 12
–    FoxSports.com 13
–    WhatIfSports.com 8
–    AVERAGE 11.75

My Take:  The loss of Terrell Owens will hurt them some, but the Cowboys still have two good receiving threats, a great quarterback, and an excellent rushing attack.  They also have one of the best defensive players in the game in DeMarcus Ware.  They may be as talented overall as San Diego, and I would definitely rank them higher than 11th.

12. Carolina Panthers
–    ESPN.com 11
–    CBSSports.com 18
–    FoxSports.com 8
–    WhatIfSports.com 13
–    AVERAGE 12.50

My Take:  Carolina may have the best one-two punch in the league at running back, and they also have one of the best deep threats at wide receiver to keep defenses honest.  They’re extremely shallow at defensive tackle this year though, and that could really hurt their defense.  I have them around 15th or so in my power rankings, but they could move up the board fast when the season starts.

13. New Orleans Saints
–    ESPN.com 19
–    CBSSports.com 8
–    FoxSports.com 16
–    WhatIfSports.com 11
–    AVERAGE 13.50

My Take:  The Saints obviously have a stellar offense, but can their defense step up this year?  The release of Jason David hints that they may at least have better pass coverage. I think there are a few more teams that should be ranked ahead of them.

14. Baltimore Ravens
–    ESPN.com 10
–    CBSSports.com 10
–    FoxSports.com 12
–    WhatIfSports.com 25
–    AVERAGE 14.25

My Take:  The Ravens always field one of the top defenses in the league, but their offense is totally dependant on the development of Joe Flacco.  This is about where I’d rank them in the preseason, but they are another team that could move up fast during the regular season.

15. Houston Texans
–    ESPN.com 16
–    CBSSports.com 15
–    FoxSports.com 18
–    WhatIfSports.com 10
–    AVERAGE 14.75

My Take:  Mark it down: the Texans will have the best offense in the league this season.  But I still don’t know if they’ll make the playoffs.

16. Miami Dolphins
–    ESPN.com 15
–    CBSSports.com 20
–    FoxSports.com 19
–    WhatIfSports.com 7
–    AVERAGE 15.25

My Take: Last year the “Wildcat” spread like wildfire.  This year, defenses that can stop it will spread like cream cheese.  I don’t have the Dolphins ranked in the top 20.

17.  Green Bay Packers
–    ESPN.com 17
–    CBSSports.com 16
–    FoxSports.com 14
–    WhatIfSports.com 21
–    AVERAGE 17.00

My Take:  The Pack will be back.  B.J. Raji is already looking like a beast in the preseason, and their offense is only going to get better.  I would rank Green Bay in the top 15.

18. Chicago Bears
–    ESPN.com 13
–    CBSSports.com 14
–    FoxSports.com 20
–    WhatIfSports.com 23
–    AVERAGE 17.50

My Take: Bears fans are leaving frankincense and myrrh on Jay Cutler’s doorstep, but he had much better wide receivers in Denver.  Matt Forte makes that offense dangerous, but I want to see Cutler in action before I rank them any higher than this.  Also, their defense couldn’t generate any pass rush with the front four last year, and blitzing every other down isn’t good for a Tampa-two defense.

19. Washington Redskins
–    ESPN.com 20
–    CBSSports.com 25
–    FoxSports.com 17
–    WhatIfSports.com 12
–    AVERAGE 18.5

My Take: Unless he gets lethargic now that he’s a bizillionaire, Albert Haynesworth is going to make this team really good.  The NFC East is a tough division though, and it will be difficult for them to make the playoffs.

20. Buffalo Bills
–    ESPN.com 21
–    CBSSports.com 19
–    FoxSports.com 15
–    WhatIfSports.com 20
–    AVERAGE 18.75

My Take: The Bills could have an offensive renaissance this season, or Terrell Owens could tear the team apart the moment Marshawn Lynch gets done with his suspension.  I would rank them around 25th.

21. New York Jets
–    ESPN.com 23
–    CBSSports.com 24
–    FoxSports.com 21
–    WhatIfSports.com 16
–    AVERAGE 21.00

My Take: The more touches Leon Washington gets, the more points the Jets will score.  Sanchez is going to have some growing pains, but their defense looks like it will fair well with Rex Ryan’s aggressive style.

22. Cincinnati Bengals
–    ESPN.com 24
–    CBSSports.com 13
–    FoxSports.com 28
–    WhatIfSports.com 19
–    AVERAGE 21.00

My Take: The Bengals are tied with the Jets in their average ranking, but the Jets get the nod since they have a better defense (which, if you hadn’t heard, wins championships).  I think the Bengals will be improved, but I still have them ranked in the bottom five.

23. San Francisco 49ers
–    ESPN.com 22
–    CBSSports.com 27
–    FoxSports.com 22
–    WhatIfSports.com 18
–    AVERAGE 22.25

My Take: Teams with quarterback battles that last several years don’t make my top 25.

24. Seattle Seahawks
–    ESPN.com 18
–    CBSSports.com 21
–    FoxSports.com 27
–    WhatIfSports.com 26
–    AVERAGE 23.00

My Take:  Matt Hasselbeck makes the Pro Bowl every odd-numbered year, so I think the Seahawks will rebound this season.  If Aaron Curry helps improve their defense, I like them to contend for the NFC West this season, and I would rank them higher than 24th.

25. Tampa Bay Bucs
–    ESPN.com 26
–    CBSSports.com 23
–    FoxSports.com 23
–    WhatIfSports.com 24
–    AVERAGE 24.00

My Take:  I like Jon Gruden as a commentator so far, and I like Raheem Morris as a coach.  I would rank them higher than 25th, and possibly in the top 20 overall.

26.  Jacksonville Jaguars
–    ESPN.com 25
–    CBSSports.com 22
–    FoxSports.com 25
–    WhatIfSports.com 29
–    AVERAGE 25.25

My Take: The Jaguars had a bad year in 2008, but I think they’ll rebound this season.  They are usually a good defensive team, and David Garrard is a very underrated quarterback.  He can check down to Maurice Jones-Drew every play and pick up somewhere between four and 100 yards.

27. Denver Broncos
–    ESPN.com 27
–    CBSSports.com 26
–    FoxSports.com 24
–    WhatIfSports.com 28
–    AVERAGE 26.25

My Take: If they can convince Brandon Marshall to play, the Broncos could have a dangerous offense that dictates two-deep safety coverage every down even with Kyle Orton at quarterback.  If Eddie Royal is their only receiving threat, teams will just blitz every play and force 17 or 18 Denver turnovers a game.

28. Kansas City Chiefs
–    ESPN.com 29
–    CBSSports.com 30
–    FoxSports.com 26
–    WhatIfSports.com 22
–    AVERAGE 26.75

My Take: I would rank the Chiefs a little higher than 28th.  The defense is reportedly adapting to the 3-4 scheme very quickly, and I think Matt Cassell will be fairly productive despite the team’s suspect offensive line.

29. Oakland Raiders
–    ESPN.com 30
–    CBSSports.com 28
–    FoxSports.com 29
–    WhatIfSports.com 27
–    AVERAGE 28.5

My Take:  Al Davis is crazy.  However, I read some interviews with Darius Heyward-Bey before the draft, and I really liked his mentality.  I think he’ll be a good player, but he’s still on a bad team.

30. Cleveland Browns
–    ESPN.com 28
–    CBSSports.com 31
–    FoxSports.com 30
–    WhatIfSports.com 32
–    AVERAGE 30.25

My Take: Teams with quarterback battles that last several years go right about here in my rankings.

31. St. Louis Rams
–    ESPN.com 31
–    CBSSports.com 29
–    FoxSports.com 31
–    WhatIfSports.com 31
–    AVERAGE 30.50

My Take: I think the Rams will be better offensively than they have been for some time.  They made a good attempt to improve their offensive line in the off season, and they still have a good quarterback and several decent skill players.

32. Detroit Lions
–    ESPN.com 32
–    CBSSports.com 32
–    FoxSports.com 32
–    WhatIfSports.com 30
–    AVERAGE 31.50

My Take: Obviously Detroit deserves to be ranked last after their 0-16 season, but I think they will get significantly better this year as well.  I say they throw Stafford in the fire and let him duke out some tough wins.  He may lose some confidence when the team struggles, but he can always just throw the ball as far and as high as possible and bank on the fairly decent chance that Calvin Johnson will catch it.

Stand & Deliver: Giants Vs. Jets Has Meaning This Year

What a difference nine months make.

It was late November 2008; families were getting together for a Thanksgiving Day feast, Christmas was on the horizon, and the Jets and Giants were kings of the NFL. After twelve weeks the Jets were in first place at 8-3. Brett Favre had reignited a dead franchise, and it appeared that the Jets would roll to an AFC East title and possibly a bye week after knocking off the once undefeated Tennessee Titans 34-13 in Nashville.

The Giants were 11-1. They were rolling to the NFC’s No. 1 seed, and, less than a year separated them from their miraculous Super Bowl XLII victory, looked poised for a possible repeat.

The success of both franchises was so palpable that, indeed, New York and New Jersey fans were talking about the possibility of a Subway Super Bowl. The scenario seemed right. The Jets had Favre. The Giants had the bling, and the Jersey boy himself, Bruce Springsteen, was scheduled to perform at halftime of Super Bowl XLIII. It had to be in the cards, right?

That was then. This is now.

As we all know, the Jets and Favre crashed in the season’s final five weeks to finish at 9-7. Eric Mangini was fired, and Brett Favre retired so he could un-retire to destroy the Vikings season this year. The Giants, on the other hand, got blasted 23-11 by rival Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional playoff game, ending their dreams of a repeat.

Since that time, both teams have gone through some vast changes. The Jets are rebuilding for the future with a boisterous and overzealous new head coach in Rex Ryan, and an inexperienced rookie from Hollywood in Mark Sanchez. They have gone from perennial contender to a team hoping for better days in the next decade.

Many Jet fans want to believe that Mark Sanchez can take the Jets to the postseason in his first year the way Joe Flacco did in Baltimore and Matt Ryan did in Atlanta last season. But keep in mind, rookie quarterbacks who have immediate success are freaks of nature. The most common circumstance for a rookie QB is Peyton Manning’s first year when he threw 28 interceptions and won a mere three games.  If Sanchez’s awful performance against the Ravens is any indication, then he is in for a very long season.

On the other hand, the Giants have had a rude awakening to life after the Super Bowl. The man who caught the game winning touchdown in that game, Plaxico Burress, will be serving a two-year jail sentence for shooting himself with an unlicensed gun. This leaves Big Blue desperate to find his replacement among a group of unproven receivers in Hakeem Nicks, Steve Smith, and Dominik Hixon.

In recent weeks, the Giants are starting to feel a lot like … well … the New York Mets. The Giants have suffered numerous freak injuries to their fantastic defense, leaving it with lingering questions whether the starting group will be ready to go come opening day.

It usually doesn’t make sense to say that a preseason game is a must win for both teams, but, considering all of the problems on these two teams, they need to show something this week if either is to move confidently into the regular season.

What the Jets need to prove against the Giants:

The Jets need to prove that their offense is not as bad as many think. With a rookie quarterback and lack of depth at wide receiver, the Jets could easily be one of the worst offenses in the NFL this year. Therefore, continuity will be key for the Jets starting Saturday.

Sanchez has only thrown 12 passes this summer and has not had a chance to play behind the entire Jets pro bowl offensive line, with guard Alan Faneca missing parts of the first two preseason games due to a hand injury. The Jets need to use this game against a beat up Giants defense as an opportunity to give Sanchez 35-40 snaps with the entire first-string offense. Unlike last week in Baltimore, the Jets need positive results from this young group.

They need Sanchez to show some poise in the pocket and actually look off his intended receiver and check down and around to see if anyone else is open downfield or in the flat. If nothing else, it will prevent Sanchez from telegraphing his throws like he did last week when he could have thrown an interception to Ray Lewis.

The Jets can do two things to improve Sanchez’s confidence in this game:

They can run the football with Leon Washington, Thomas Jones, and Shonn Green all night long, and even throw to this trio on bubble screens and dump off passes. However, the best way the Jets can get Sanchez ready to play on Sept. 13 is to have Sanchez throw to his receivers outside the numbers.

Even though Sanchez does not have a great arm, he can scramble. Brian Schottenheimer needs to take advantage of this, too, and get Sanchez out of the pocket and to pass to open receivers down the side on Saturday, especially with the Giants missing both Aaron Ross and Kenny Phillips.

Secondly, the Jets must establish their No. 2 receiver. To date the Jets have not made a move to trade for an established wide out, so it is still between David Clowney, Chansi Stuckey, and Brad Smith in the battle for the No. 2 slot.

Clowney is the favorite since he has two touchdown catches in preseason and even caught Sanchez’s first NFL pass, but coach Rex Ryan has yet to write Clowney into the starting lineup. Clowney needs to show off his excellent skills set in this game if he wants this starting job.

What the Giants need to prove against the Jets:

This season is getting weird, and it’s not even September!

The Giants have terrific talent on the defensive side of the ball, but this summer has been brutal, medically speaking, on the defense. Before the Giants 17-3 loss to Chicago last Saturday, Big Blue was missing nine players from the starting lineup.

Linebacker Antonio Pierce has missed time due to a foot injury, but he is expected back soon; Kenny Phillips had a sore knee but returned to camp this week; linebacker Michael Boley is on the PUP list as he recovers from hip surgery; defensive tackle Rockey Bernard is suffering from a hamstring injury and could conceivably play this week, but who knows for how long.

Then there are the more serious injuries. Jay Alford tore his MCL in the Bears game and will likely be lost for the season. Meanwhile, cornerback Aaron Ross re-injured his torn hamstring in camp this week and it is uncertain when he will return to the Giants this year. And, just recently, defensive end Chris Canty suffered a torn hamstring as well, and it is unknown when Canty will return to the field.

Add those injuries to nagging injuries to Chris Snee and Rich Sheubert of the Giants offensive line, and the G-Men have one large mess on their hands. Things have been so bad that Coughlin criticized the media for pumping up his team’s depth.

“I just think that for so long we’ve … (read that) … we’ve got so much depth. I don’t know what you’re watching, but the guys that are supposed to be the depth have hardly even practiced,” Coughlin said on Sunday. “I think you’re talking about something that looks good but hasn’t really materialized. Until we get this thing straightened around with everybody on the field, this rotation and this depth that we’re talking about really is a non-factor right now.”

Coughlin is correct in one assessment. People have lauded the Giants depth on defense too much this summer; therefore, the Giants have to use this game as a moment to iron out their problems on defense and find out who can stand and deliver.

Obviously Ross, Canty, and Boley probably won’t be active when the Giants match up against the Redskins come September 13, but the likes of Pierce, Phillips, Snee, Sheubert, and Bernard should be ready to go come opening day. If this group of dependable veterans enjoy a field day against the Jets, then the Giants can take some solace as the calendar approaches September. 

However, this will be a huge gut check for back-up corner Terrell Thomas. Thomas had only 45 tackles in his rookie year with the Giants in 2008, and he will need to step it up big time in this game, especially if he wants to instill confidence in his coaches that he can get the job done in place of Ross.

The game should also be an excellent opportunity for the Giants young linebackers. Clint Sintim, Chase Blackburn, and Gerris Wilkinson can show that they can play with the big boys if either Pierce or Boley should miss any more time this season.

Offensively, the Giants are still waiting to find the chemistry between Eli Manning and his receivers. In the Bears game, Manning had a hard time working with this group. There were tons of drops and misreads that night, so much so that the Giants managed only 62 yards through the air.

Expect to see a lot of Hakeem Nicks and Dominik Hixon starting at flanker, with Steve Smith lined up in the slot position. With the Jets still trying to grasp Rex Ryan’s complex 46 defense, this might be a good time for the Giants to build some consistency in the passing game. Plus, having Nicks and Hixon square off against pro bowl corners like Darrell Revis and Lito Shepard should be a great test for the Giants young receivers.

Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Random Observations

Lightning interrupted the Miami Dolphins’ preseason contest with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night, but the Dolphins’ offense was far from electric as the team squeaked past the Bucs to move to 3-0. (Don’t you love it when things give you the opportunity for clever little intros like that? Thanks, Weather!)

As I’ve done with the previous two games, I’m just listing random observations from the game as well as any other comments I feel about a player’s ever-changing chance of making the roster. I’ll be doing videos again when the regular season rolls around, but for now, this should suffice.

And off we go:

Random Observations

• Chad Pennington finished with a pretty good line due in large part to a long completion with Brian Hartline, but overall I thought it was a weak performance. The third preseason game is when starters play the most, so it was pretty disappointing to see the offense struggle like it did.
• On the positive side, Pennington made a great play on the touchdown to Anthony Fasano, as well as on the play-action fake that resulted in a 54-yard completion to Hartline while Pennington was throwing across his body.
• Chad Henne had what I would consider his worst game as a pro. He and Pennington both sat in the pocket too long at times, while pulling the ball down too quickly and scrambling for a minimal gain at others. I don’t know if the coverage was just amazing or what, but the Dolphins’ passing game was not impressive overall.
• The running game never really got going last night either. I’m not concerned about the backs, but the offensive line needs to do their job better.
• Lex Hilliard (or the second coming of Barry Sanders, if you’ve been reading Miami papers and fan forums) didn’t help himself last night and reminded all of us that he is not in fact a lock to make this team. People forget that his good runs have come in the fourth quarter against guys that are going to be cut soon. This guy is not indispensable.
• Brian Hartline was impressive, and would have had an even better line if he hadn’t gotten a fantastic reception taken away on a bogus offensive pass interference call. There was mutual, insignificant hand contact on both parties; it was the kind of thing that happens on every play in football.
• It was nice to see Greg Camarillo make a big play, though you could tell his speed was lacking a little bit as he recovers from knee surgery. He’s not actually a lock to make the team, but I expect he will. Would I be entirely surprised if Miami kept five wideouts and Brandon London made it over Camarillo? Not entirely. It’s not likely, but it’s something to consider.
• Fasano showed once again why he’s such a good red-zone threat. Little-seen John Nalbone also recorded a reception, but I thought Joey Haynos was more impressive overall and made some good blocks. I think Nalbone’s better suited for the practice squad.
• Nobody really stood out in a positive way on the offensive line. They did give Miami’s quarterbacks good protection at times though, and a few of the sacks allowed were coverage sacks rather than protection mistakes.
• Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham did a little too much running over Miami’s defense. I know it was raining for the third straight game, but these guys have to take better angles and wrap-up on tackles. Akin Ayodele had seven tackles in the game, but that total should have been even higher.
• Despite the run defense’s struggles, I was impressed at times with the following guys: Kendall Langford, Tony McDaniel, Lionel Dotson and Paul Soliai. I’m pretty comfortable with our defensive line. Their job is to create space for the linebackers to make tackles, and they are. The linebackers and safeties just aren’t following through on their end.
• Quentin Moses and Erik Walden each had a few good pass rushes, and it’ll be interesting to see if either can secure a roster spot. I don’t think both will, but one definitely should. If it were me, I’d give it to Walden because he’s a stud on special teams and Moses has done less with more time as a pro.
• William Kershaw had a solid game, while J. D. Folsom was one of five Miami players that didn’t even get into the game. That’s pretty telling, and I think Folsom might be headed for the practice squad.
• The Dolphins secondary did an O.K. job, but I’d prefer to see them make more plays when they’re in good position. There were some completions that should have been knockdowns and some knockdowns that should have been interceptions. Still, I’m pretty content with Vontae Davis and Sean Smith seeing significant playing time as rookies.
• Nathan Jones recorded another sack, rushing through untouched just like he did a few times last year. I’m not quite sure if he’s just in the right place at the right time or he has a knack for the thing, but either way it can’t be bad.
• Connor Barth didn’t get into the game last night, so the kicking competition appears to be over. He gave it a good run, but he didn’t show enough to beat out Dan Carpenter.
• I can understand the team not wanting to use Ted Ginn, Jr. on returns and if they don’t I’m okay with it, but he’s certainly better at it than anyone on the team. He’s really the only guy we have that can take it all the way.
• On the other side of the spectrum, Davone Bess was painful to watch last night. The guy just does not have the speed to get around the edge. He certainly doesn’t need to be running backwards, because nothing good will come of it. I’d like to see a little more Hartline there.

As the preseason winds down and cuts loom, here are some dates to remember:

• Sept. 1 – Cutdown to 75
• Sept. 3 – Dolphins preseason finale at New Orleans
• Sept. 5 – Cutdown to 53

The Dolphins currently have 70 players on the roster, so they won’t have to make any cuts until September 5. That being said, it wouldn’t surprise me if the team trimmed a few players off the bottom of the roster between now and the last game.

Some of the most likely candidates in my view to be cut before the deadline are: WR James Robinson, WR Anthony Armstrong, G Mark Lewis, DE Ryan Baker, DE Rodrique Wright, CB Will Billingsley, and K Connor Barth. None of those guys has a real chance to make the roster, and it’s possible the team won’t keep them around until final cuts.

Be sure to check back in the next few days, as I’ll take a closer look at the Dolphins’ roster and do my best to figure out just who those final 53 will be. Keep in mind though, just because a player survives cuts doesn’t mean he’s safe. Three players last year initially survived cuts (Anthony Armstrong, Trey Darilek, Rob Ninkovich) only to be waived before the regular season when three players from to other teams’ cuts (Andy Alleman, Nate Garner, Brandon London) were claimed off waivers.

Chris Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins blog, which can be found here.

Looking Ahead To Titans-Browns 8-29-09

The “dress rehearsal” game of the preseason is upon us.

I had certain expectations going into the first two preseason games, but I’m not too sure what to expect out of this game, so I’m going to run down a list of what I’d like to see.

Even with the first team playing deeper into the game, it’s tough to come up with some concrete expectations now that the Browns have actually lived up to my earlier goal of just showing up and looking like a professional football team.

That being said, one thing I do expect to see this week is fewer penalties from the offensive line. Should they continue to commit drive-killing false starts and illegal formation penalties, it’s going to be a long year.

James Davis should get some quality reps with the first team. The offensive line, while not exactly good, did manage to open a few holes last week. I’d like to see how Davis does with those kinds of openings.

Jamal Lewis isn’t hitting them, so don’t waste them.

I’d like head coach Eric Mangini to be a little more consistent with how he conducts the quarterback competition because he has been very inconsistent in how he distributes the reps with both quarterbacks.

Not only is this unfair to Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, it’s unfair to the team. This team needs a leader on the field, and busting up the reps like Mangini has been doing isn’t getting the team any closer to a decision.

Brady got good reps in week one, but Anderson didn’t get much to work with when he was behind center. In week two, it was the exact opposite with the same results.

I’ll qualify that comment by stating Anderson didn’t do much with the opportunities he was given—He just doesn’t make good decisions.

I could say I expect Anderson to make better decisions this week, but that would be like asking a diva wide receiver to put the team before themselves.  We all know that’s not going to happen.

While I don’t expect it, I do hope to see our defense put some pressure on Kerry Collins, contain the running game, and not see Abram Elam get smoked. That might be asking for a lot, but one can dream.

Actually, what I would like to see from our defense is some some progress from rookie David Veikune that demonstrates he’s starting to “get” the adjustments he’s had to make since being moved to the inside.

It also would be nice to see Kaluka Maiava put up a few more takedowns like he did last week versus the Lions. Those kinds of tackles on special teams never get old.

I haven’t predicted any scores yet due to the innate kookiness of the preseason. I’ll start doing that with the regular season. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this game turn into a high-scoring affair.

This week, more than any other week in preseason, will give you an idea about how the Browns will look coming out of the gate in Week One.

Let’s all hope they look good.

Tough Pick: Which New York Football Team Has The Better Secondary?

Over the years, the New York sports media has tried everything in its power to get Giants and Jets fans to care about their annual preseason meeting.

Nothing’s worked.

Whether it’s because the teams play in different conferences, or because their fan bases live (for the most part) in different parts of the greater New York area, or because, deep down, nobody really cares about preseason games, neither fan base has ever felt threatened (or over-confident) enough to really turn the Meadowlands showdown into an event.

It hasn’t helped that the teams are rarely competitive at the same time, and that is true again this season. The Giants, provided they can get over their health concerns, are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Jets, on the other hand, are optimistic but ultimately in transition.

But if there is one scrap of controversy that can be wrung out of Saturday’s game, one remotely meaningful debate that could conceivably be had between blue and green-clad fans tomorrow night, it is this:

Which team has a better secondary?

From a purely statistical standpoint, this might seem like a strange debate. The Giants finished 8th in pass defense last year against one of the toughest schedules in the league, playing in a division featuring the pass-happy Cowboys and Eagles. The Jets, playing a comparatively lighter schedule in a much less aerially potent division, finished 29th.

Jets fans will argue that the Giants’ pass rush gives them an advantage, but it’s less significant than one might imagine: The Giants generated just one more sack than the Jets did last year. And with Rex Ryan’s aggressive, blitz-crazy defense in place this season, pressuring the quarterback will be the least of the Jets’ worries.

But this year, changes to the Jets’ defense go well beyond scheme. Gang Green added a ball-hawking corner in Lito Sheppard, and a scrappy film-nut safety in Jim Leonhard to their roster in the off-season, and they also expect second-year corner Dwight Lowery to improve on a tremendous rookie year in which he had 16 passes defended and an interception.

Pair that talent with Darrelle Revis, who finished with five interceptions last season (tied for second in the NFL), and Kerry Rhodes, a Pro Bowl-caliber safety, and that’s an awfully impressive last line of defense.

The Giants, by contrast, are going to be relying on growth and cohesion this season. If training camp is any indication, there is plenty of both. The defense notched 30 interceptions up in Albany, even with last year’s starting corners, Aaron Ross and Corey Webster, missing significant portions of camp with nagging injuries.

Second year players Terrell Thomas and Kenny Phillips both look vastly improved, and the entire team is comfortable with a defensive scheme that has been in place since 2007.

It’s probably not enough to drag New York into a civil war. But with the regular season still two agonizing weeks away, this debate should give New York sports fans something to get heated up about.

Jets Fans Who Covet Marshall: Be Careful What You Wish For

That the Denver Broncos appear ready to cut the cord on belligerent wide receiver Brandon Marshall is not necessarily good news for the receiver-hungry New York Jets.

The Broncos today suspended the All-Pro for the rest of the preseason because of “conduct detrimental to the team.”

According to many observers in Broncos camp, Marshall consistently gave less than a full effort on the practice field while continuing to whine about wanting to renegotiate his contract.

Despite the tried-and-true business axiom of “Buy low, sell high,” the Jets should not make a deal for Marshall.

Although it appears that Denver’s rookie head coach Josh McDaniels will be as unsuccessful dealing with Marshall as he was with former star quarterback Jay Cutler, that does not mean Jets rookie head coach Rex Ryan would fair any better with the toxic wide receiver.

If anything, Marshall would be more of a head case as a Jet…in “The Big Apple,” the media capital of the world, playing under the brightest lights in the biggest city.

If Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum believes a change in scenery is all Marshall needs to be an All-Pro on the field and a Boy Scout off the field, then he is naïve.

Marshall is a bad actor and a team-killer whether he’s working in the Mile High City or just across the Hudson River from Broadway, whether he’s in Broncos blue and orange or Jets green and white.

A player who demonstrates an utter lack of self-control off the field, as Marshall has during his stint in Denver, won’t change just because he changes uniforms.

A player who tries to put himself above his team in one city will do the same in another city.

That’s who he is. That’s what he does.

Was Terrell Owens really any different in Philadelphia than he was in San Francisco? Was he any better in Dallas than in Philly or San Fran?—No and no.

The same is true of Marshall, a “T.O”-wannabe.

The Jets should resist the temptation to try to rehabilitate him.

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