Brett Favre’s Strong Character Bodes Well for Vikings

Let’s be clear about this: There is no Brett Favre experiment going on in Minnesota. His positive effect on the team is a lock.

Let’s be clear about this: There is no lingering quarterback uncertainty in Minnesota because Tarvaris Jackson had a perfect passer rating in Week Two of preseason play and Sage Rosenfels has been spotted making some progress learning the Vikings’ offense.

Favre simply exists on a different quarterbacking plane than those already present in Minnesota.

And to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, let’s be clear about this: There is no more dissent in the Minnesota Vikings’ locker room than exists in any other of the 31 NFL locker rooms. Ask Jarred Allen.

Favre immediately makes the Minnesota Vikings’ offense better. And it’s not only because he is the most prolific passer in NFL history. The offensive success will come because Favre will show his new soldiers something they have never seen before—leadership.

Character is leadership, and Favre is as strong as they come.

Over the years, Favre’s iron-man status has risen to mythical proportions. His will to play through physical, emotional, and mental trauma has him currently standing on a 269-game starting streak that might never be broken.

Unfortunately, a good portion of the sports media has taken their former golden child to the sacrificial altar during the past months. An inexplicable rash of fury towards Favre is running through the sports beat because its members weren’t privy to his innermost thoughts in 2009.

Lately, some people find it popular to argue that Brett Favre has shown signs of “character weakness” since his departure from the Green Bay Packers. Ironically, that period of time has only demonstrated Favre’s strength of character—not a defect.

Retirement would have been the easy option for Favre in 2008, but he kept fighting.

The Packers’ brass wanted Favre to be their legend—just not their starting quarterback. Rather than accepting the Packers’ generous attempts to assist in preserving his legacy, Favre forged ahead.

The Packers offered their franchise face $25 million in bribe money to stay retired. However, Favre turned away from the Packers’ tainted reasoning and followed through on a trade that exiled him to the ends of the football earth—the 4-12 New York Jets.

With no prep time, no knowledge of the Jets vertically-oriented offense, and a biceps muscle in his throwing arm that was shredding week after week, Favre led the team to an 8-3 start and a relevant status in the league.

If you were to believe most of what you read nowadays, the final five games for the Jets unearthed a previously hidden Favre.

He is suddenly a health liability, a giant of locker room division, and just plain unreliable.

The reality is that Favre has never met an injury he couldn’t play through, he brings enthusiasm to every locker room he quarterbacks, and he will be the play-calling cornerstone the otherwise talented Vikings have not enjoyed in a long time.

Just like 2008, retirement would have been the easy option for Favre this year. 

If Favre had decided not to play in 2009, that would have been a true sign his character has weakened.

If Favre did not come to Minnesota this year, that would have been an absolute verdict of weakness—a signal he was out of date, washed up, and scared to take on a challenge.

That would have been a clear piece of evidence that Favre craved popularity more than playing football.

That would have been a signal that the toughest quarterback to play the game decided he was going to go soft.

And that would have been a shame.

Instead, the 39-year-old Favre keeps fighting in 2009. This will be his 19th season in the NFL.

Vikings teammates and fans alike can take inspiration from that show of character.

It’s Either All Favre or All Packers, Right?

Hey there, Green Bay Packers.

I get where you’re coming from. Trust me, I get it.

I’ve been a die-hard Packers fan since I was 10 years old, and that was 16 years ago. Watching Favre lead the green and gold for 16+ weeks each year has been as cemented to me as the law of gravity or the sky being blue on a clear day. It just “never wasn’t”. Now, with the coming of last year’s awkward Jets season of highs and lows, and this year the tossing on of a Vikings helmet in August, I can say I’m torn by my allegiance.

But let’s be real, here. The NFL is a fickle business. Most guys get 10 good years IF they’re lucky. What with competitive talent, injuries, free agency and salary caps, there are very few guys you can get used to seeing in one uniform year-in and year-out.

Then we have Brett Favre.

Everyone knows the story. Nearly 300 consecutive starts at QB. Ridiculous. A record few have a chance of ever touching, save for Peyton Manning’s health and longevity, but let’s say its safe to assume this record will not break.

I’m going to put myself in the shoes of Favre for a second. Because as a Green Bay Packer fan, I have issues with the Vikings. I have issues with the waffling. Most people do. So instead, pretend I’m Brett Favre;

I’ve got every record in the game. People idolize me for both my love of the game, the way I played it, and my “gunslinger” mentality. They would play like me if they could stand behind center. They admire my grit, my perseverance, where I’m from and where I’ve been. Hell I’m the best quarterback in history. I’m a damned LEGEND.

Why don’t I walk over to the mirror? Look at me. I’m still in pretty good shape. Hell, I’ve still got the arm. You know what, my torn arm is still likely better than Jackson’s young arm. PLUS I know the Vikings offensive system better than any quarterback in the league. I think I can do it. I can still do this. I can’t walk away if they ask. They need me. They want me. They love me. It’s because I’m special. I’m Brett Favre. Right?…

Snap back to me. Now think about it. If you were Brett Favre you would have the largest freaking ego in the world. And you earned it. But mostly you just bought into it. All the years of consecutive starts, all the years of playing injured and playing without a good running back. You think you can do anything. Even at age 40. Are you delusional? A bit. But you’re still talented enough to convince yourself you can still play. Because hey, you are.

Brett Favre is still capable of playing. I say capable. I don’t say he’s got the mastery of his craft. Or the speed. Or the arm. But he’s still physically capable; that combined with his ego are the two reasons he’s in purple right now. And it’s literally that simple.

So as a Packers fan am I upset, even slightly angered that #4 went to Minnesota? Yeah. But can I blame him for being who he is, or for buying into the ego and the image that has been built over the years? Hell no. He built that reputation in Green Bay. For MY team. Those were his glory days. Nobody can take that away from me as a fan. Now, as for feeling threatened by a 40-year-old Favre marching into Lambeau as “the enemy”, pssh. C’mon now. 2TDs, 2 INTs and probably 230 yards passing. This isn’t a 30-year-old MVP Favre. This isn’t even 37-year-old renaissance Favre, either.

So I say this to the loyal Packers fans out there. Root for your Packers. It’s all you can and want to do. But in the very back of your heart, root for Favre’s success in Minnesota simply for the sake of being a fan of football. Root for him the 35% of the time when he still has it. Making crazy throws and dancing around like a kid. It’s fun, and it’s always been, and if you’re a true fan of the game, you’ll love it. For the last two decades, it’s been Favre for as long as any of us can remember. Now, as for the other 65% of the time when he just looks old and adds to his INT record? Just feel sorry for him. And feel happy. Happy for the fact that he’s not throwing those INTs in Green Bay this year.

Bottom line: You can have your Favre and your GB, too.

 

Michael Vick Debuts, Offense Sputters, Asante Shines

It took only two plays, but Michael Vick’s much ballyhooed return to the NFL finally happened in Philadelphia tonight—a four yard shuffle pass to running back LeSean McCoy.

Disappointed? Hey, not everyone’s preseason debut can be an 81-yard touchdown the first time they touch the ball like the last controversial signing the Eagles had in 2004.

Coincidentally, it also only took two McNabb overthrows to Jason Avant on the Eagles first drive (resulting in a 3-and-out) to take the collective air out of the stadium atmosphere.

Did someone say third down? Through three quarters, McNabb and company failed to convert on six of their nine opportunities:

• 3rd and 6: McNabb incomplete, intended for Avant
• 3rd and 9: McNabb incomplete, intended for Avant
• 3rd and 10: McNabb incomplete, intended for Curtis
• 3rd and 13: McNabb to Avant for seven
• 3rd and 3: McNabb to Eckel for no gain
• 3rd and 3: McNabb incomplete, intended for Baskett

Of the nine third down attempts the Eagles had under McNabb’s leadership, Reid called for a pass eight times, with the lone exception being a third and two that required a measurement to confirm LeSean McCoy had gained enough to move the chains. McNabb converted the other two by hitting rookie receiver, Jeremy Maclin and using his legs to convert another.

Add in a first and goal at the Jacksonville one, which resulted in a 92-yard fumble return for the Jags, and we see the more things change, the more they stay the same—third down and red-zone issues still abound.

Three of the Eagles’ first four drives resulted in three plays and a punt—the fifth and sixth drives both ended in fumbles. This preseason, Andy Reid’s offenses in the first half of three games have been outscored by 36-points in six quarters.

Defensively, the starting defensive line looked ready to go right now. Trent Cole wreaked havoc on whoever set up behind center. After temporarily knocking David Garrard out the game, he equally terrorized Todd Bouman until Garrard returned.

Asante Samuel was easily the standout of the game though. Not only did he have an interception (nearly two), he also forced a fumble on Torry Holt. A goal line hit on Jaguars receiver, Nate Hughes, not only caused another fumble but a concussion for Hughes as well. At times we saw Asante channeling memories of Brian Dawkins while decleating a much larger running back.

The one glaring opportunity for improvement going forward for the defense is to not allow themselves to be invited in on the blitz only to be burned by the screen. I place this burden of responsibility on the linebackers to be there, because if Asante Samuel is making the tackle, it’s probably always going to be 45 yards later like we saw tonight.

All in all, basically a slow first half by the starting offense and an off-and-on defensive showing with plenty of “teaching points” to go around with just 10-days until it counts.

But back to Michael Vick for a moment. What did we see here? To be honest, not much aside from a pass to Baskett for 14 yards—a couple of shuffle passes, a pass to D-Jack for no gain, and a half hearted designed run for a yard. But he got his feet wet, which was the point of tonight for him.

We primarily saw him on second down, once with McNabb split out wide, usually though as the lone quarterback on the field. We also saw Vick as a decoy split out wide with McNabb under center. Just enough to keep defensive coordinators up a little longer throughout the week, but little in way of exciting the casual fan.

So what’s the key take-away if you’re a “the glass is half empty” person like me? The main thing is that it’s the preseason, and let’s not forget Westbrook didn’t even step onto the field, nor did newly acquired fullback Leonard Weaver nor Sheldon Brown (although Ellis Hobbs played well tonight).

However, I’m concerned with the fact that with the first unit in there, we’re still refusing to run the ball on third down, and McNabb is as streaky as he’s ever been. The fact that he finished 21-36 for 244 yards is very surprising if you actually watched the game.

When the pocket breaks down, he’s as good as anyone in the game throwing on the run, but that’s not always the case sitting comfortably in the pocket.

In the end, Kevin Kolb led the Eagles reserves from a fourth quarter 12-point deficit, allowing Dave Akers to make a 35-yard game winning kick, his fourth field goal of the game.

Eagles 33, Jags 32

Oakland Raiders So Far: Better or Worse?

The dawning of a new era…in which lion and hyena…oh sorry.  Too many Disney movies. Sometimes the Raiders resemble a movie script, and it’s not always a good one.

The catchphrase “The dawning of a new era in which the Raiders team returns to significance, to say nothing of potential dominance.”  The question is: should we believe it this time?

Given the offseason changes in the AFC West, and the Chargers ongoing ability to blow their opportunities, there is a very real possibility that this could be the year for the Raiders. 

The preseason has a couple weeks left, and here’s a rundown of what some of the ups and downs of camp look like, both on and off the field:

On the field:

 

DHB: TBD

Darrius Heyward-Bey has been “the” story of the draft.  Whether the Raiders reached for him, or is he just speed, why not Crabtree or Maclin and so on.  Despite the media press, DHB has had a pretty good camp. 

His initial case of the dropsies (and hammies) has faded, and he’s gradually coming up to the speed of the NFL game.  Hopefully the next couple of preseason games will give us a better chance to judge what he’s learned.

 

Michael Bush

He tore things up at the end of last season, and doesn’t appear to be slowing down.  Even though the Raiders look like a running-by-committee team, within 4 weeks of this season they will have their lead runner. 

The easy money is betting on DMac, but Bush could surprise some opponents, and even a few teammates!  He’s run well and strong thus far.  He’s my sleeper pick to have a significant impact on the Raiders’ season.

 

Michael Huff

Thus far, Michael Huff appears to be a changed man.  After Cable’s benching of him midseason last year, and the write-off of that season, Huff was facing his last chance. 

He appears to have been “hitting the books” and the pick against Dallas showed a side of him we’ve rarely seen.  If he shows this much improvement during the season, he could be the most improved player for the year.

 

Chaz Schilens

Chase was clearly in position to be the No. 1 receiver prior to his broken foot.  He has a great rapport with Russell, and will potentially start to draw defensive attention.  Some stated that he was the reason we didn’t take Crabtree, and it appears their faith may be rewarded. 

The injury was definitely a setback for the 2009 Raider squad.  His recovery from the injury will show us whether he’s ready to join the lexicon of Raiders receivers. 

His absence may create an opportunity for the “other” rookie wideout, Louis Murphy, to sneak into the rotation.

 

Javon Walker

Rumors of Javon Walker’s demise appear to be greatly exaggerated.  After a couple good years with a couple of teams, followed by last year’s debacle, Walker remains a questionable commodity. 

Great talent, but it’s not always clear where his head is.  If this week’s full speed practices are to be believed, he may be back. 

As far as anyone knows, he’s not deaf or blind, so he’s probably aware of the criticism and may very well have a large chip on his shoulder this year.  He could be the comeback player of the year—for not just the Raiders, but the league. 

 

Off the field:

The Randy Hanson incident 

So far we know there was a police report, and that Hanson was injured.  We don’t officially know how, or what transpired. 

What we do know is that Hanson ticked off Kiffin enough to suspend him, and that the subsequent year, he ticked off another head coach.  I’m not blaming Hanson necessarily, but where there’s smoke, there’s typically fire. 

How the Raiders respond to the incident, and more importantly, how the police handle the incident, will have an impact on the Raiders.  Any kind of a charge or issue for Cable will be a significant distraction. 

Despite years of having distractions, the Raiders have not actually become any more adept at handling them. 

They used to be a team with a rock-solid focus on what was important, and nothing distracted them.  They are trying to return to being that team—this season will prove whether they’ve made any actual progress.

 

The Team

Calling the team an off-the-field item may seem like an oxymoron, but how the team functions off the field will be key. 

It doesn’t mean a return to the Gruden golf outings and BBQs, but it will be important for the team to be unified as they face any adversity.  Distractions as well as losses have proven fatal in past years to the Raiders. 

With the above player highlights, as well as the potential distractions…this year will be a proving ground for the Oakland Raiders. 

Are they the team of the past six years, non-competitive and divided? Or will they actually become a team…unified and competitive?

Denver Broncos Should Suspend WR Brandon Marshall

How many Denver Broncos fans have gone to bat for Brandon Marshall over the last three years?

He has been arrested a dozen times since arriving in Denver in 2006. 

He has never played a full season due to injuries and/or suspensions.

And in the wake of his recent trade demands, he has done the unthinkable.  Marshall has proven once and for all that he is an even bigger crybaby than former Broncos’ quarterback Jay Cutler.

In my humble opinion, this video clip will be used, among others, by the Broncos’ organization against Marshall in an eventual attempt to suspend him for the first four games of the 2009 season.

If your computer is not picking up the video stream, the clip basically consists of the following:

1. The video begins with Marshall sitting on a couple of practice pads.  Helmet off, looking bored as ever.
2. The team then begins doing the “karaoke” drill during calisthenics, and Marshall puts his hands in his pants and walks to the other side of the field.
3. With the ball in his hands, Marshall punts the ball across the field instead of handing it to the ball boy.
4. During route running drills, when the ball is thrown his way, Marshall bats it down instead of catching it.

I first learned of this story from Pro Football Talk, and lead blogger Mike Florio and I have come to the same conclusion:  Brandon Marshall  s officially an idiot.

That was the title of the post, and it did not disappoint.

Marshall is acting like an idiot.  If you had not lost all respect for him prior to seeing this video, I would be shocked if you had any after viewing it.

This makes the fact that Marshall was not at practice today a lot more clear, as we all are aware he is no longer injured.

As it stands, Marshall is going to make roughly $2.2 million in 2009.  If and when the Broncos choose to suspend him for four games, he will lose a fourth of that salary or $517,000.

Also, if Marshall wants to be traded, he is going about it the wrong way.  Not only is he going to turn away the respectable organizations with his work ethic and attitude, but he is lowering his value, meaning the Broncos will absolutely not trade him.

In fact, it is probably more likely at this point that they will cut him, which we all know is not going to happen either.

Or would they?

Jets Fans Have Some Shopping to Do

Let’s say you are a successful business man. Do other businessmen wear black suits with your name on the back? I would hope not. That wouldn’t exactly be professional.

 

But what does this NFL columnist know about work attire and fashion? Everything.

 

Well, everything about the only kind of clothes that matter.

 

Honestly, I can think of a million reasons to love the spectacle of sports, especially because I know what it means to be a die-hard fan.

 

I understand the allure of being a barbaric supporter, one that screams at the top of his lungs, hangs onto every play for 17 weeks of a regular-season—and if you’re lucky enough, the postseason—and spends more money on tickets than the monthly mortgage rate.

 

The biggest, most interesting aspect of being a fan, however, has to be the fascination of collecting team merchandise and attire. Jerseys, hats, t-shorts, shorts, sneakers, posters, pennants, office decorations, kitchen utensils—they all fall under this category.

 

That’s the beauty of sports: all rules are broken. You can wear someone else’s work clothes and be embraced for it. In fact, you feel fully submerged in an unflappable fraternity for doing so.

 

With Saturday’s preseason contest against the New York Giants looming, the Jets have been busy. They named prized rookie Mark Sanchez the starting quarterback, continued to work toward getting in shape for the regular season and unveiled a new shade of jerseys.

 

On Thursday, the Jets showed off their new, white New York Titans uniforms, which they will wear on Oct. 25 at Oakland.

 

“I like ‘em. They pop,” Jerricho Cotchery said after a brief ceremony at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, according to the team’s web site. “You can’t do anything but just stare at them. They’re nice-looking jerseys. I think they complement the (gold) pants well. I like them better than the blue.”

 

The Jets have worn dark blue Titans jerseys at least once over the past couple of seasons, in honor of their AFL roots. It’s a fantastic idea. Quite frankly, it just got better.

 

“I like wearing the different jerseys. It makes you appreciate all the guys that were before us,” Cotchery said. “You see them around the league, but I love wearing our jerseys. It’s a completely different look than our regular jerseys.”

 

In addition to sporting the white uniforms for two games, the Jets will don the Titans’ blue tops on Sept. 27 against the Tennessee Titans, according to New York’s web site.

 

The Jets, who are celebrating their 50th season this year and will wear a patch on their uniforms all season, will also have an AFL patch on their three throwback weekends. Admit it—we’re all suckers for promotional gimmicks. This one we shouldn’t feel bad for taking part in.

 

It’s remarkable a simple upgrade to a team’s uniform can boost morale around the locker room, too.

 

“It’s a long time and we’ve won only one championship and we want to add to that this year,” Cotchery said.  “We want to make this year special. Fifty years is a long time.”

 

At least they’ve done it in style.

 

There is no denying it would be awesome if the Meadowlands’ seats were filled with fans dressed in the new, upbeat jerseys to create a white-out.

 

Come to think of it, where’s my credit card?

NFL Reset: AFC East Outlook for the Upcoming Season (Part Three)

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With the preseason finally underway, it’s almost time for yet another season of football.  It’s the time of year when ever team is 0-0 and each team has the chance to win the Super Bowl (Well, except for the Browns, but we will get to that later).

A lot of teams have the potential to make the playoffs so here’s how it might just go down.  Part three of this series looks at the AFC East.

 

Buffalo Bills

This could be the sleeper team of the AFC East.  With so much focus on the Patriots this season, people forget that this team made some noise in the off-season.

They acquired, of course, one of the most productive wide receivers in the past few years, in Terrell Owens. 

He signed a one-year contract with the Bills so if he has another productive season, we could see another summer of Owens on the stationary bike and doing his own thing.

One of the things that got forgotten is the terrific draft they had.  They chose a fantastic player in Aaron Maybin, who will make an impact in his rookie year.

With him and Marcus Stroud on the Defensive Line, they will be able to shred through Offensive Lines and get to the quarterback with easy.

One of the big questions of the season however for this team, is the play of Trent Edwards.  We saw him play great in the first few weeks. 

However, in the last few weeks, we saw him injured and once he came back, he was not himself.  He threw more interceptions than touchdowns, and he couldn’t close it out in the end for his team.

They had a shot to make the playoffs, however small that was, but they just could not gain the strength they needed to finish strong. 

Hopefully, with the addition of a great Wide Receiver and a young Defensive End, the Bills might be making some noise in the AFC East.

 

Miami Dolphins

This was the surprise of the NFL last season.  Going from one of the worst teams in history, this team got it together and made the playoffs last year. 

This amazing comeback was all centered on one thing: The Wildcat.  Yes, every team tried to copy it, but none did it better than the originators.  This innovative offensive allowed for more big play-makers to be threats. 

However, it might not be as effective this season as it was last year simply because now teams will look for it, and maybe even come up with some clever defensives to stop it.

This team loves running the football, and with good reason.  They had one of the more productive Running Backs last season in Ronnie Brown until he went down with an injury.  After that, he wasn’t really the same. 

But if he stays healthy, he could easily be the top rushers this season.  He also has Ricky Williams to back him up so; he won’t be the only one getting time with the ball. 

The Dolphins had a fairly strong draft this off-season as well.  They took Vontae Davis with their first round pick and he could be what they need.  They had the 25^th-best passing defense and it got a lot better with Davis.

They also took Pat White out of West Virginia, which was a good move for them.  He was a scrambler of a Quarterback, so he can run well with the ball. 

He fits perfectly in with the Wildcat because it gives them a second Quarterback threat on the field in that formation.  Don’t be surprised if he throws for a few touchdown passes this season and also runs in a few.

 

New England Patriots

Well, what is there to talk about with this team besides Tom Brady?  Tom Brady is the heart and soul of this team. 

Without Brady, the team struggled last year and didn’t even make the playoffs.  Now that he is back, the team will spark again and make some noise in the AFC East.

The one person who held the team on offense last year was Randy Moss.  He continued to produce, even with a Quarterback in Matt Cassel who had not started since High School at the helm.  That fact just shows how good of a player Randy Moss is. 

He and Wes Welker brought the play of Cassel up to their level.  If they put up combined over 2,000 receiving yards, it will be interesting to see what will happen when they get a player already on their level back in Brady.

The one spot that has fans asking questions in the past few seasons is the running game.  They have had a sort of middle of the road rushing attack.  They have gone through several different running committees over the past few years. 

This season, there really isn’t a consistent threat.  Sure, they have a few consistent rushers in Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk but nobody that is really ready to step up and take control. 

If they can solve their rushing problem, then they just might have an elite team that look to go far this season.

 

New York Jets

This is a team that is really a work in progress.  They have a lot of holes to fill from last season and they only have a few of those holes closed. 

One of them is at the Quarterback position.  With the retirement of Brett Favre (and then unretirement, and then retirement and…well you get the idea.), the Jets needed somebody to step up and take the reins of the offensive. 

Enter Mark Sanchez.  They moved up in draft to pick him up, which shows you how excited they were about him.  He’s been named their starter and hopefully is what they needed.

Also one of the holes left is at Wide Receiver.  With Laveranues Coles leaving, it basically only leaves Jerricho Cotchery as a viable threat.  They have other guys sure, but none of them have as much experience as he does.

Chansi Stuckey might have a productive season but he is not the caliber of Cotchery or Coles.  They might look towards signing Marvin Harrison if they want to a good passing game this season.

One of the bright spots on the team is at Running Back.  Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and their third round pick, Shonn Greene, could be a nice rushing attack by committee. 

All three of these guys have top-notch speed and they could really tear up defenses.  If it worked for the other team in New York, these three might just work together as well.

Overall, this team is still a work in progress but, while they won’t have an amazing season this year, they might be looking good and primed for the playoffs next season.

Javon Walker: A Star Reborn Or Fading For Raiders Fans?

This year, Raider-Nation has been flying high on optimism and hope. There have been alot of positive things to give Raider fans hope.

Last year, under Head Coach Tom Cable, the Raiders looked like a team for the first time in years. They showed great improvement over the last six games going 3-3 to finish the season with 2 back-to-back wins over playoff hopeful teams in Denver, Houston, and Tampa Bay.

This off-season, the Raiders brought in a good deal of free-agent talent, bolstering the o-line and adding veteran leadership. Their receiving core is finally looking like a quality unit, and Chaz Schilens seems poised for an eminent break-out year.

Just this week, the Raiders handed “America’s Team” a 31-10 beat-down. And to make things better, the rest of the AFC West seems to be in shambles and disarray.

But, after a positive series of moves and performances, the events of the last two weeks brought many of us crashing back to earth.

First, Tom Cable allegedly broke Randy Hansons jaw by punching him, throwing him across a room, or pulling a chair out from under him. Then, JaMarcus Russell throw new target, Chaz Schilens, goes down with a broken bone in his foot, out 4-6 weeks. Now, four time Pro-Bowler and veteran FB Lorenzo Neal, is placed on I.R. after suffering an injury.

In our 21-10 loss to the 49ers, we were reminded how bad our run defense is. In the same game, Raider leading tackler Kirk Morrison, went down with a dislocated elbow, out at least two weeks.

All that and we are only half way through preseason.

So where does the enigma, Javon Walker fit in? Is he a reason for hope or just another set-back like he was last year?

He has gone through some good and bad times; lately more bad than good. But some are expecting him to return to his former play-making self.

In 2004, he gained 1382 yards on 89 receptions and 12 TDs for the Green Bay Packers. In 2005, he threatened to hold-out for a bigger contract, only to suffer a season ending knee injury in the first game of the season after recording a career low four receptions for 27 yards.

Then in 2006, Walker was traded to the Denver Broncos for a second round pick. Many questioned whether he would return to form after a knee injury, but in 2006, he proved his doubters wrong with 69 receptions and 1084 yards.

Then the New Years Day 2007 tragedy struck for Javon Walker.

While at a night-club, Brandon Marshall and his cousin got into a confrontation with some patrons. The patrons were allegedly throwing up gang signs and were escorted out of the building.

Walker had no knowledge of the aforementioned dispute. Outside the club after closing time, Walker and fellow Bronco Darrent Williams saw Marshall and his cousin engaged in a heated verbal fight. The two intervened and eventually left in a stretch Hummer being rented for the night by Williams.

Local rappers identified the unhappy patrons outside, as the same people Marshall and his cousin were involved in an altercation inside the club with.

Later that night, a few miles from the club, Williams’ car was attacked in a drive-by shooting. Williams would die in the arms of fellow team-mate Javon due to a gun shot wound to the neck.

To this day, many question how he is dealing with Williams death.

For his next two seasons, Walker was never the same person or player on the field.

In 2007, he would only play in 8 games making 26 receptions for 287 yards. Then in 2008, things finally started looking up for Walker. He signed a huge contract with the Oakland Raiders for six years, $55 million, and a $16 million dollar signing bonus.

Then came June 17th 2008.

After a night of heavy drinking and big spending where Walker spent $15,000 on champagne, he was found beaten, robbed, and left unconscious with multiple broken bones in his face. That paired with more knee problems, and Walker was limited to 15 receptions, 196 yards, and one TD.

Then fast forward to now and it would seem either all is well for Javon, as some are predicting him as the come-back player of the year. Or his recovery is being over-hyped, which can only resort in hordes of disappointed Raider fans.

First, Walker restructured his monstrous contract saving the Raiders over 9 million in cap space. One stipulation for his new contract was he would remain with the team through 2009, and he couldn’t be traded or released.

Also this off-season, Walker has said he’s done alot of soul searching.

He traveled all over the world to places like the Dead Sea and Israel. Pretty much, he went Dahani Jones on us.

Then this off-season, Walker had a “new revolutionary” surgery on his knee. He actually said now is the first time in three years he is able to play without any pain in his knee.

And then there’s the reports of how he looks. He actually looks great running, catching, making cuts, etc,. Hes even said he feels faster than he’s ever been before.

All that seems amazing, but can it all be true? Will Walker be able to deal with his tragic past? No doubt memories of Williams death will plague him for the rest of his life.

Which Walker will we see this year- the one we saw last year or something more resembling his 2004-2006 seasons?

Well, we will find out the answers to these questions soon enough.

This weekend against the Saints, Walker is expected to make his 2009 preseason debut and alot of questions will be answered.

NY Jets Sign Anthony Kimble: Camp Body or Something More?

It’s not earth-shattering news, and it may be that he has been signed in reaction to the news that Shonn Greene will miss the remainder of preseason, however if it’s Jets news then it should be addressed.

Anthony Kimble went undrafted in the 2009 NFL draft, he was signed by the Miami Dolphins, released and today signed by the Jets.

Could Kimble actually make the team or is this a move for one of the following reasons:

1) To get an idea of the Miami Dolphins offense ahead of the new season

2) To get us through the last two preseason games, particularly the fourth game.

Under any other circumstances and particularly under Eric Mangini I would dismiss this immediately as a camp body. Someone to take the load and be cut when the roster cuts come. However there is something about Rex Ryan that makes me believe that every move has some potential to it.

Anthony Kimble is not a quick back, he is not explosive, doesn’t have straight line “NFL speed,” and the acceleration is not there. He does have his advantages that we will come to a little later.

Something jumped out at me when I was reading his biography from the Stanford website, and that was that he was a “converted wide receiver.”

Even as a running back, he caught 60 passes for 485 yards during his career at Stanford. He is versatile, has soft hands and can be efficient in the blocking game.

He protects the football and during his four years at Stanford, in over 400 rushing attempts, not once did Kimble fumble the football. He is a patient back, who waits for the hole to open, fights for the yards but wraps up the football.

With a team that plans to run the football a lot this season and a QB who will be looking for reliable receivers out of the backfield, I can’t help feel that he might have a chance to make the team.

I know that the fan favourite Danny Woodhead is the guy that everyone is hoping claims the remaining running back spot, and believe me when I say that I’m a fan of Danny Woodhead, I can’t help thinking that Kimble might have more value to this team.

I’m not suggesting that Kimble will be an all-star, however reading through his biography and his pre-draft analyses, you see the words “willing blocker” a lot, as well as “terrific word ethic.” He is obviously intelligent and to add to his repertoire, he can return punts as well.

Rex Ryan will obviously make the best decision at the end of the day, and it might just be that Kimble has been brought in for the two reasons listed above, but I’m intrigued by his obvious upside.

He has battled injuries, but every year his yardage has improved, 244 in 2005, 470 in 2006, 509 in 2007 and 717 in 2008. In 2008 he faced some tough rush defences like TCU and USC. Both of which ranked in the top five in terms of total rushing defense during the 2008 season.

I’m certainly willing to give him a chance and see what he has in the remaining two preseason games before writing him off completely.

Lovie Smith: The Key to the Chicgo Bears Success This Year

Say what you want to about Jay Cutler and his cannon arm or Matt Forte and the offensive line. Make arguments for whoever ends up as our starting free safety or Brian Urlacher in the middle. But the real key to success this season is Head Coach Lovie Smith.

This is really a make-or-break year for Lovie, and really, his entire coaching staff. With a franchise quarterback, a long term solution at running back and several up and coming offensive lineman, the Chicago Bears offense should be able to stay with most teams in the NFL (providing Ron Tuner doesn’t hold anybody back).

But with the offensive improvements, we come to the real problem which lies with the defense.

Last season the Bears defense got worked over on more than one occasion. They gave up the following:

1) 27 points to Brian Griese and the Bucs.

2) 22 points and a deep pass to set up the winning field goal to the Falcons.

3) 41 points in a win over the Vikings.

4) 23 points to the eventual 0-16 Detroit Lions (that was the second most points scored by the Lions last year).

5) 37 points to the Green Bay Packers in a blowout loss.

6) 34 points to the Vikings again.

7) 31 points in a win-or-go-home game against the Houston Texans.

 

The defense ended as just a run-of-the-mill unit, ranked 15th in points allowed and 16th in yards allowed per game.

And that wasn’t even the frustrating part. The worst was you knew what was going to happen. You would know that Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Nick Roach would crowd the line of scrimmage and then fall back in coverage as the ball was snapped.

And every time they did this, the Bears defensive backs would be 5-10 yards off the line, leaving that wide open ten yard slant pattern every time. It was like the coaching staff forgot that the DB’s are allowed to jam people.

It was brutal at first, but then it became sad and then, eventually, amusing because no one could understand why the Bears defense did not adjust to these tactics…tactics that everybody watching from home would see coming.

The most obvious scapegoat was defensive coordinator Bob Babich. However, I don’t hold him responsible, at least not fully. This defense is Lovie Smith’s baby. It is his design, his schemes, his way of football. Babich was really just a puppet.

I say “was” because Lovie has announced that he will be taking over the defensive play calling during games for this upcoming season.

And I will give him credit for stepping up and taking the responsibility.

If the Bears defense comes out and plays like everyone believes they can, then he will look like a genius. If the defense comes out and stinks it up like they did at times last season, then there will be nobody to blame but himself.

To be successful, the Chicago Bears’ defense will have to hold teams to 21 points or under. If they can do that, then they should win at least 10 games, easy.

That will require a lot of hard work by the players, a lot of assistance from the training staff, and most importantly, Lovie to prove he is a defensive mastermind.

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