Baltimore Ravens: Analyzing Just How Good They’ve Been So Far

For once, the Baltimore Ravens are getting respect from the media.

But why? Why now?

It’s simple. Because of offense.

Before, the Ravens were a team who won because of their defense, but now, this team is one of the most balanced in franchise history.  They have a great run game, a terrific offensive line, and while they don’t have a wide receiver of Larry Fitzgerald’s stature for quarterback Joe Flacco to throw to, they get the job done.

Let’s take a look at just how good the key players have been.

OFFENSE

QB Joe Flacco: Not much can be said about how well he has done over his first 22 games in the pros.  In those games, he is 16-6 (2-1 in the playoffs), and that’s all that matters.  But this year, he’s put up the individual statistics to “wow” anybody.  In three games, he has 839 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions, and has had over 300 yards two times—something he never did last year in 19 tries—if you include the postseason.

He said throughout training camp he was more comfortable with the offense, and that much is clear so far.  The 24-year-old has a 101.4 quarterback rating.  In his career under pressure or when being blitzed, his poise is apparent—he has 18 touchdowns and just nine interceptions.

RB Willis McGahee: Let’s make this clear: I had confidence McGahee would rebound from his disappointing 2008 campaign.

But to this extent?  No.

In three games, he has 32 carries, 190 yards, five touchdowns, and he also has a touchdown reception.  If you want to know exactly how much he’s improved, compare his stats to where he was last year at this point.  Through three games, he had 50 carries, 172 yards (3.4 YPC), one touchdown, along with five catches for 32 yards.

But this year, he has 32 carries, 190 yards, five touchdowns, six catches, and 41 yards.  The odd thing is, he’s producing more with less of a workload.

RB Ray Rice: Of course, with a year under his belt, Flacco was seen as a breakout candidate.

But so was Rice, also in his second year in the NFL.  And so far, he’s delivered.  He scored his first NFL touchdown in Week Three.  Sure, it took a while, but mainly because he hasn’t played in goal-line situations.  In three games, he has 38 carries, 192 yards, and a touchdown.  But his contributions through the air get overlooked.  He already has 11 catches, and despite a healthy Todd Heap, Rice is one of Flacco’s No. 1 targets on check-downs.

FB Le’Ron McClain: Because McGahee struggled last season and Rice wasn’t ready for a heavy workload as a rookie, McClain was asked to run the ball a lot—232 times, in fact.  For a fullback, that’s crazy.  With McGahee back in shape and Rice ready to become a primary back, McClain has been asked to do the normal job of a fullback—block.

And he’s done that very well, as you can tell from the numbers of the running backs. McClain has come through when called upon, and has 12 carries for 38 yards and a touchdown, along with eight receptions for 68 yards.

WR Derrick Mason: You can tell this is an important season for Mason.

He briefly retired after his best friend, Steve McNair, passed away, and then unretired.  It could be his last season.  So far, he’s looked like himself.  Reliable.  In three games, he has 12 catches, 196 yards, and one touchdown.

In Sunday’s 34-3 win over the Browns, he caught five passes—enough to surpass 800 for his career.  He credited McNair for passing the milestone.

“Over half of them were from him,” said Mason of his 800 catches.  “We built a bond on the field that a quarterback and receiver have to have in order to be productive in this league.  We built that bond for the 10 or 11 years I played with him.  A lot has to be contributed to him and I when were in Tennessee, and then here.”  He’s been a sure-handed receiver his entire career, and, including the playoffs, caught 92-of-142 passes thrown his way last year.”

WR Mark Clayton: In stretches, Clayton has shown he can be a great receiver.  He’s just been extremely inconsistent.

In 2006, he broke out.  But in 2007, he was a huge disappointment.  And then last year, he had games where he looked elite, and others where you could hardly notice he existed.  An injury before the season started forced him to miss the entire 2009 preseason, and so far, he is doing a good job, with nine catches, 132 yards, and a touchdown.  His three receptions and 44 yards per game line isn’t fantastic, but it’s expected with a team like the Ravens who spread the ball around very well.  Clayton needs to be a lot more like Mason.  I’m not bashing Clayton’s character, but Mason is a lot more consistent in his play.  But what’s interesting to me is this: Clayton didn’t drop one pass last year, nor did he fumble.

WR Kelley Washington: Sure, new additions like Michael Oher and Matt Birk have done a great job on the offensive side of the ball, but Washington is a huge steal.  From 2003 to 2008 with the Bengals and Patriots, he didn’t accomplish much, with 73 catches, 896 yards, and nine touchdowns.  So in an average year, he caught 12 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown.  He’s already surpassed that.  In three games, he has 12 receptions, 167 yards, a touchdown, and is looking like Flacco’s No. 1 target, especially on third downs.

TE Todd Heap: If there was a book about Todd Heap, it wouldn’t say much.  “Can be a good tight end, but is never healthy.”  This year, he’s healthy, and he’s shown he can be a good target for Joe Flacco.  It’s a fact that a big, reliable tight end usually helps any quarterback, but especially a young one.  And so far, Heap has been that.

He had a great first game, with five receptions, 74 yards, and a touchdown.  He caught another touchdown in Week Two, and he had a good game against Cleveland.  So far, he has 10 catches, 124 yards, and two touchdowns.  He was even healthy in 2008, but he dropped eight passes, fumbled once, and had a disappointing year overall.  However, his only drop this year was because of a crushing hit, and he’s on pace for a much better year.

LT Jared Gaither: The O-line has been great so far this season, and Gaither has improved.  In Week One, he was the only weak link on the line.  He wasn’t really sharp in any phase, but he got better as the game wore on.  He also was charged with a penalty, and allowed the only Chiefs sack.  In Week Two against San Diego, he was much-improved, and against a better pass rush.  He made only one “mistake”, allowing Shawne Merriman to beat him and pressure Flacco into throwing an interception.  But, Gaither has been pretty solid and is getting better.  After all, he’s 23 years old.

LG Ben Grubbs: In his short career, Grubbs has been two things—durable and consistent.  He hasn’t missed any games he’s been slated to play in, and he’s shown consistent effort, week in and week out.  It’s been no different this season.  In the first game, he had one of his best performances as a pro.  He didn’t make any mistakes, and he finished his blocks, which definitely helped running back Ray Rice run for 108 yards.  In Weeks Two and Three, he put forth two more solid efforts.  Grubbs is a guy you never have to worry about.

C Matt Birk: Plain and simple, getting Birk was a tremendous signing.  So far, he hasn’t been matched up with anyone tough except for Shaun Rogers, who didn’t give Birk an ounce of trouble. In Week One, Filmstudy was impressed:

“He couldn’t have had a better debut, displaying excellent footwork and judgment.  He missed just two of 85 blocks by my count and led the team with six blocks in level two. There wasn’t much fancy about it, but Birk was able to regularly frustrate Tank Tyler.  Tyler registered seven tackles, but none behind the line of scrimmage.”

RG Chris Chester: It looked like Marshal Yanda would be the guy at right guard this year, but because he has trouble staying healthy, Chester has seen a lot of time, and has impressed.  He played very well in Week One, outside of a holding penalty, and was also very good in Week Two.  Chester has versatility.  He plays guard for now, but has a chance to be the future center, as does Yanda.  If both can learn from the guy next to him (Matt Birk), the Ravens can be very stable at that position for the next decade.

RT Michael Oher: I can’t ask anything more from Oher.  He’s had his ups and downs, like all rookies, but I’m extremely impressed.  He had one of the best debuts for a rookie tackle in recent memory in Week One.  He didn’t make any mistakes, and really had a perfect game.  He came back down to earth in Week Two, allowing a sack, but he was great again in Week Three.  I love what I see from him, and he has a chance to be the future left tackle, a position he played a lot at the University of Mississippi.

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Atlanta Falcons: Finding A Reason To Believe

If I listened long enough to you
Id find a way to believe that its all true…

You know the disappointment is there.

You don’t really have to look to know it but, if you must, it can be read it in nearly every article and comment by every Falcon beat writer and fan from Columbus to Savannah, Dalton to Valdosta, and all points in between. The loss to the Patriots last Sunday was more than just painful; it was the ghost of promising seasons past, when the gridiron gods would once again have a big belly laugh at your expense.

Aside from just wanting to win in this league, the Falcons are also out to shake an old monkey from their backs. In all the years since 1966 and the first day of this NFL franchise, there has never been more than one single winning season in a row. And every other season since, when the previous one sported anything above .500, we’ve all waited patiently to see if THIS would be the year.

Well, THIS year is no different… except that with the sea change in ownership, coaching, personnel and even the uniform, there is an ocean of hope where there was once only barren wasteland.

But yes, we’ve been here before, too.

If I gave you time to change my mind
Id find a way just to leave the past behind

It was just back in 2005 when those same pigskin deities rolled merrily on the floor from leaving us with a strung-out and then disappointing 8-8 season. Before that, it was 2003 and before that, 1999. From Super Bowl to super fold, they said. (Hear that? They’re still laughing!)

Somehow it always seems that there is no right answer to this except that, perhaps, THIS could still be THE year. I mean, after all, it is only ONE loss out of three games played so far in a sixteen-game regular season. Even most Super Bowl teams will lose a few on the long journey to Mount Olympus and the Lombardi Trophy, you know?

Heck, let’s break out the beer and grill and have bye-week tailgater!

Ahem. Excuse me but…that is how it always begins, too. You convince yourself that there is that light just ahead. The end of the tunnel brings daylight and fresh air.

So, perhaps THIS is that year, finally, and the end of the bitter ends. One loss is nothing!

Right! The ribs are on the fire and the brew is in the cooler. Help yourself!

Still I look to find a reason to believe…

You see… hope springs eternal here. It has to.

(*Quoted lyrics: “Reason to Believe” – Rod Stewart)

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Washington Redskins Rumors Abound, but Jim Zorn Is Here for the Year

Redskins fans across the nation seem to have united under the banner of ousting Jim Zorn from the head coaching job and out of Washington all together. With Dan Snyder as the owner, the action to relieve Zorn of his duties is not out of the question.

It is, however, a stretch of the imagination these days.

Since attempting to revive the good ol’ days by bring Joe Gibbs out of retirement, Snyder has been less meddlesome in his team duties. He still reels in the big names from free agency, like Albert Haynesworth this year and all-around blunder signings of Adam Archuleta and Brandon Lloyd.

But he isn’t as prone to irrational firings these days, which bodes well for Zorn and only enrages fans.

It is highly unlikely that Zorn will lose his job in the beginning or middle of the season. There is far too much left to unfold with the rest of the season, but barring some miraculous turnaround in his or Blache’s playcalling, the end of the season will be the end of his head coaching days in Washington.

For years Redskins fans have been calling for Snyder to keep his nose on the business end of things and let football minds run the team and it never happens. And the one time everyone wants Snyder to intervene, he decides against it.

Snyder has said himself that axing Norv Turner in the middle of the season so many years ago was one of the worst moves he ever made.

Not that Turner was lighting the league up, but it threw the team into chaos that has yet to subside some 10 years later.

A mature and wiser Snyder is turning out to be the fans’ worst enemy. Even though it appears Zorn is safe for the time being, it hasn’t stopped fans from speculating the next potential head coach.

Of course, fans are still wary about the likelihood of a Bill Cowher, Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, or John Gruden taking control of team. Even with the noted change in Snyder’s approach to team activities, it is unknown whether or not he will relinquish the personnel decisions to his next candidate.

That is the one caveat to coaching the Washington Redskins that will hold the franchise back as long as it stands. As head coach, it is understood that Snyder is going to have a say in every decision that affects the team.

If Snyder wants to win he will have to remove himself from personnel decisions beyond signing their paychecks. And even then he needs to be less generous to individuals that are brought on to the team.

Snyder has earned the right to run the team as he sees fit, but aside from Jerry Jones and Al Davis most owners in the NFL leave the football decisions to the football people.

You can be a fan of your team without feeling compelled to run it like a fantasy team.

Until further notice, Zorn is the head coach and will be calling the plays. Fans will once again have to sit through a sub-bar product on the field. Unless something is done to change the culture of the team it will be run by the prima donnas and paycheck players.

Whatever coach ends up with the job next season will have to put players in their place for the sake of the team or he will be run out of town on a rail like so many others before.

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Felix Jones Injury Update: Knee Strain, Week 4 Status Uncertain

As anyone who has followed my fantasy football predictions knows, I have been high on Cowboys’ RB Felix Jones ever since the offseason. 

And proving that I don’t just talk the talk, but also walk the walk, Jones is the only player I have in each of the six leagues I am in this year.

While Jones’ production has been hampered by the fact that he is part of an amazing three-man backfield in Dallas — where there simply aren’t enough touches to go around — he has still been explosive enough in limited touches to provide solid flex value through three games.

However, one of the main knocks on Jones coming into the season has been his inability to stay healthy, and that could hinder his value moving forward.

According to Ed Werder of ESPN Dallas, Jones was injured last night during the Cowboys’ victory over the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football. The latest injury update on Felix Jones is that he has a knee strain, but that it could turn into something serious.

 

Werder cites Jerry Jones as saying he is “concerned about the severity” of the injury. Felix was reportedly unable to loosen his left knee after the injury occurred last night. He will have an MRI today to assess the severity of the injury.

I, of course, will keep a close on this one, considering Jones’ value to me in each of my leagues. I’ll update this post when more information is available.

For the season, Felix Jones is averaging a ridiculous 10.1 yards per carry on 21 carries to go along with one rushing TD. He also has one reception for 20 yards. During his short career, Jones has a 9.4 yard per carry average on 51 carries. Ridiculous.

Hopefully he can get back on the field soon.

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With No End in Sight For Titans’ Woes, Is It Time For VY To Step Up?

Three down and 13 to go, and oh, how the mighty have fallen.

The Tennessee Titans, the same team who opened the 2008 season 10-0 on the way to a league-best 13-3 regular season record, currently share an 0-3 record with the likes of the St. Louis Rams, the Cleveland Browns, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Miami Dolphins.

Even last years’ winless Detroit Lions are one better than the Titans this year. How bad is that?

Yes, we all know the season is still just beginning. Every other team in the history of the NFL who has started 0-3 has said that.

Only five of them have ever made the playoffs. Not good odds, even for the most clueless of gamblers.

The long and short of it is, the Titans have big problems. And if they don’t find some answers to their questions soon, they can kiss any postseason hopes goodbye.

But what, exactly, are the questions?

Offensively, the Titans don’t appear to be having any success. Passes are being dropped, and the tag-team attack of LenDale White and Chris Johnson has, for the most part, been all dash, very little smash.

They have been close to winning, to be sure; two of their three losses were by three points, and one of those was in overtime. Still, close doesn’t cut it: all three Titans games have gone into the “L” column.

Kerry Collins at times looks like he is unravelling, throwing balls low or behind his receivers, sometimes missing them entirely.

And there is no doubt that Vince Young is chomping at the bit to get his starting position back.

But not so fast, folks: is VY really the answer? Are the Titans really that bad offensively?

The fact that the Houston game was a bit over the top not withstanding, the Titans are managing 210 yards passing/game, and thanks to Chris Johnson’s highlight reel performance against Texas, they are sitting at 151 yards rushing/game.

Subtract the Texas game, and the numbers are still over 100 yards/game on the ground. Not bad production for this offesnive unit.

In three games last year, the Titans scored 72 points. This year, 58. Hey, maybe we’re on to something.

Again, not so fast: Last year they outscored their opponents 72-29. This year, they have been outscored 71-58.

This is not, contrary to what it may look like, an offensive problem.

Consider these numbers: 179 yards/game passing, 85.67 yards/game rushing, seven interceptions, two fumbles recovered, TO differential of +4.

Like those numbers? These are the Titans numbers on defense…from last year.

This year’s numbers aren’t quite so cuddly: 297 yards/game passing, 60.67 yards/game rushing, three interceptions, two fumbles recovered, TO differential of -3.

Does anyone else see it?

The Titans do not have an offensive production problem; sure they could use some work in getting Collins and his receivers a little more in synch, but Coach ‘Dinger has done this before, and he’ll get it straightened out.

Ryan Mouton might want to invest in a little stick ‘um spray, though, or his special teams position is likely to go away.

The Titans do not have a defensive line problem. Contrary to all the naysayers who claimed that the loss of Albert Haynesworth to the Redskins would spell doom for the Titans front four (Didn’t Washington just lose to the Lions? Thought so…), Tennessee has actually improved upon their run-stopping performance from last year.

Sorry, Mr. Young—and all the VY kool-aid drinkers out there—but a change under center is NOT what the Titans need; in fact, it is probably the LAST thing they need.

If Collins had gone from being a quarterback who threw for 300 yards and three to four touchdowns every week, to a quarterback who couldn’t complete a pass and wouldn’t know what the end zone looked like if you gave him a personal tour, then yeah, I might say that Vince Young’s time had come.

If Collins had digressed from Peyton Manning-like performance to looking like the guy who is so bad that he backs up Jake Delhomme, than I would be jumping up and down saying, “Give VY a shot!”

If Kerry Collins was not running the offense exactly the way it is designed to run, and running it pretty well, then I’d call for his head just like the rest of you kool-aid drinkers out there.

But he didn’t, he hasn’t and he is. 

Kerry Collins is getting along just fine. In fact, he’s doing more than fine: he is performing better than he did last year after three games, not counting week one when he came in to relieve an injured Vince Young.

210 yards/game with four passing touchdowns this year against 170.67 yards/game with only two touchdowns last year means Collins has his game well in hand.

Let’s put the blame, and the solution, where it belongs: squarely on the shoulders of a defensive coordinator who might be in over his head, and a defensive backfield that is making mistakes I would expect my 11-12 year old recreation league team to make.

Almost 300 yards/game passing? Are you kidding me? Just how exactly is Vince Young supposed to help that? He isn’t, unless you think he would make a better cornerback than Nick Harper—which is potentially worth considering, as an aside—or a better safety that Vincent Fuller.

Otherwise, he’s best left on the sidelines calling in the plays.

And can someone, ANYONE, please explain to me why coaches think that backing the defensive pressure off at the end of the game is going to result in a positive outcome? Why, when pressuring the quarterback all day resulted in putting you ahead?

The prevent defense might have worked back in Coach Cecil’s day, but quarterbacks are bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter these days. If you think that playing to protect a lead is a viable defensive strategy against the current crop of quarterbacks, then you have no business coaching professional football.

Defensively, this year’s Titans secondary does not resemble the one from last year. the names on the jerseys are the same, but the performance couldn;t be more different.

They are giving up too much yardage through the air, and way too many big plays. By allowing their opponents to put up big numbers, they are putting pressure on their offense to perform in a manner that it isn’t set up to.

Kerry Collins is not, and has never been, a quarterback capable of regularly putting a team on his shoulders and winning games with his arm.

He has the ability to do it on occassion, but that’s not his baliwick.

Kerry Collins beats you by not making mistakes, taking advantage of the occassional big play, and otherwise patiently marching his offense downfield to score on you after wearing you out for 80 yards and 10 minutes.

And let’s be honest, folks; given his history, do we REALLY want to put the burden of winning on VY’s shoulders? Are we really so ready to forget his meltdown last year? Or his petulant attitude from the pre-season?

What happens if the Titans put him in, and things don’t get better immediately? Who do we blame then?

Maybe that IS what it will take to call attention to the actual problem; there are already rumblings that maybe it’s time to see if VY can’t make a difference. Maybe, just maybe, he could be the sacrificial lamb so that the real issue of slipshod pass defense can be identified.

It was pretty easy for me to identify it, but what do I know? I’m just an average, everyday fan who doesn’t have any credentials to back up my assertions.

So ask for VY if you want, but he isn’t the answer.

Stopping oponents from passing at will is.

Anybody thirsty?  I just whipped up a big batch of cherry kool-aid.

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Denver Broncos Face Tough Schedule in Quest for Playoff Return

Let’s take a look back: It’s the end of the 2008 season. Mike Shanahan fired. Jay Cutler traded for Kyle Orton and picks. A defense in shambles, having allowed 28 points per game.

Brandon Marshall wanting to be traded and suspended during a portion of the pre-season.  2009 looking like a major rebuilding effort for rookie coach Josh McDaniels.

Fast forward to the end of September. Broncos are 3-0. Orton is playing mistake-free football. Offensive line protecting Orton and creating gaps for the running game as well as ever.

Defense has allowed a total of 13 points over three games, stuffing the run and pressuring the quarterback.

Excuse me?

Any Denver fan couldn’t be happier after a 3-0 start and an early division lead in the AFC West.

As McDaniels and crew will readily admit, there is still much work to do. The schedule does not lie.

The Broncos will face a decidedly stiffer slate of competition in the coming weeks, with stouter offenses and defenses to contend with. 

Can Denver’s offense, minus a prolific passing game, be balanced enough to hang with the big boys?  Can its defense, against better offenses than the anemic Browns and Raiders, continue to impose its will?

Prior to its Week 7 bye, Denver faces Dallas and New England at home, before visiting San Diego for a Monday Night contest.  All playoff-quality teams with potentially explosive offenses.

Coming out of the bye, the Broncos pay a visit to the suddenly dynamic Baltimore Ravens, followed by a home date with Pittsburgh.

For Denver to entertain playoff hopes, it must come out of that stretch with at least two wins, probably three. That would leave the Broncos at 5-3 or 6-2.

With two games remaining with Kansas City, and a home date with Oakland, eight or nine wins would be nearly a certainty assuming no letdowns.

They’d then need a couple of wins in the other second-half games (at Washington, Indy and Philly, home for San Diego and the Giants).

No guarantees, since this team has not been severely tested, and has not shown a penchant for second-half surges in recent years.

Nevertheless, an optimistic outlook heading into October is certainly not what many experts saw coming out of the Mile High City, after a dismal 2008 season and winter of gloom and doom prognostications.

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Fantasy DC’s Week Three: Waiver Wire Rush

All players mentioned will be below 70 percent owned in 10 team formats and likely available in most leagues.

Go For It:

Jason Campbell, WAS, QB (32 percent owned in 10 team format)—Washington has played really poorly, and Sunday was the culmination of bad play.  But even in losing to the previously 0-19 Detroit Lions, Jason Campbell maintained his position in the top 10 of QBs. 

The Redskins are going to be playing from behind all year, and the running game has been bad at best.  Campbell should have every opportunity to air it out while the Skins stink it up.  (Target: All leagues)

Donald Brown, IND, RB (49 percent)—Every time Donald brown touches the ball he’s bowling over someone on the defensive side of the field.  He’s a true beast and is slowly taking carries and time from Joseph Addai.  He may not be a weekly starter right now, but he’s a spot flex and his role will continue to grow.  Get on the bandwagon early.  (Target: All leagues)

Tashard Choice, DAL, RB (15 percent)—For at least one more week Tashard Choice deserves a spot on your roster.  MB3 is still banged up, and Felix went down for a bit during the game against the Panthers as well. 

Choice looked incredibly explosive and seemed like he could be a number one for a team in the future.  Feel free to start Choice this Sunday is his backfield mates are still banged up.  (Target: 12 team leagues)

Nate Burleson, SEA, WR—No one is happier, other than maybe John Carlson, to see Seneca Wallace behind center in Seattle.  Burleson was targeted 12 times Sunday, and has always been a heavy target for Wallace.  Even when Hasselbeck comes back Burleson is the only receiver for the Seahawks to separate from the pack and be a reliable target.  Lock in on Nate and look for his production to increase. (Target: All leagues)

Repeat of previous weeks: Correll Buckhalter, DEN, RB (38 percent), Ricky Williams, MIA, RB (39 percent), Nate Washington, TEN, WR (25 percent), Vernon Davis, SF, TE (51 percent), Brent Celek, PHI, TE (62 percent)

All Things Depending:

Mark Sanchez, NYJ, QB (42 percent)—The Jets have to be the surprise team of the short season.  The primary reason for their success is the amazing defense they play.  The running game, anchored by Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, has also been very good. 

But Mark Sanchez is playing good, safe football; throwing the ball to the right players and making a minimal number of mistakes.  You won’t win your league with Sanchez, but he’s a solid back-up with spot start ability.  (Target: 12-14 team leagues, dynasty+)

Glen Coffee, SF, RB—News came out late Monday that Frank Gore is out for at least three weeks.  Now Frank Gore is one of the best RBs in the league, but to average over six YPC takes more than talent, and Coffee should be able to step in and be a serviceable player in the nest few weeks.  Don’t drop Ray Rice or Pierre Thomas for Coffee, but feel free to take a flyer on him.  (Target: 12-14 team leagues)

Kelley Washington, BAL, WR (4 percent)—Obviously Baltimore airing it out in week one was not a fluke.  Flacco is tossing the ball so easily, and though it may not last all year, Washington has been the biggest beneficiary of the new offense. 

He’s played his way into the No. 2 WR role, overtaking Mark Clayton and playing alongside Derrick Mason.  Feel free to put a bid on Washington in deeper leagues, and keep a close eye on him as the season continues.  (Target: 12-14 team leagues)

Pierre Garcon, IND, WR—Every receiver for the Colts will be solid.  This is factual information.  Although Garcon has great numbers and should continue for a few more weeks, he’s not worth the long-term investment most teams would have to make. 

Anthony Gonzalez  will be back and Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark will always be the primary guys for Peyton Manning.  Feel free in deeper leagues, but let someone else grab Garcon, then go after their better player.  (Target: 14 team leagues)

Repeat of previous weeks: LeSean McCoy, PHI, RB (53 percent), Fred Taylor, NE, RB (35 percent), Johnny Knox, CHI, WR (51 percent), Mike Sims-Walker, JAC, WR (40 percent), Tony Scheffler, DEN, TE (22 percent)

Hold Off For Now:

Kevin Kolb, PHI, QB (10 percent)—Kevin Kolb has been a more than adequate starter in the wake of Donovan McNabb’s injury.  A lot of people, my self included, were worried when the Eagles signed Jeff Garcia and with the knowledge that Michael Vick was coming off of the suspended list. 

But Vick barely played last week and Jeff Garcia is getting cut.  Kolb has put up better numbers than Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, and Kurt Warner.  All of that said, the Eagles have a bye week and McNabb will be back after that.  Feel free to cut Kolb loose or let someone else waste a waiver pick on him.  (Target: Very deep dynasty only)

Jerome Harrison, CLE, RB (6 percent)—Harrison had every chance with Jamal Lewis out to take the starting job and run with it.  He didn’t play the worst game, but he didn’t do enough to add to his playing time other than on third down.  That’s not what you want on your roster.  No need for Harrison to hold a roster slot for someone more deserving.  (Target: 14+ team leagues)

Keenan Burton, StL, WR / Donnie Avery, StL, WR—With Laurent Robinson out it’s easy to try and get his replacement.  But Donnie Avery went into the year as the Rams No. 1 and quickly lost that position, and Keenan Burton is a poorman’s possession receiver. 

Add Bulger being hurt and none of this makes for a good situation.  Your WRs should be better than either of these, and if they’re not than you’re probably 0-3 and could invest your time in teams that have won a game or two.  Good luck.  (Target: 14+ team leagues for Avery, N/A for Burton)

Repeat of previous weeks: Michael Bush, OAK, RB (25 percent), Mark Clayton, BAL, WR (53 percent), Chris Henry, CIN, WR (24 percent), Kevin Boss, NYG, TE (43 percent)

…

Read Complete Article

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Browns Lose Big, Mangini Loses Team?

Is it too late to give the Browns’ name, its colors, and history back to Baltimore?

When Art Modell sold the city of Cleveland down the river and moved the Browns to Baltimore, Clevelanders clamoured to keep the Browns’ name and create a new Browns out of…well, what would become a bunch of misfits led by poor schlep Chris Palmer in 1999.

After Sunday’s 34-3 humiliating annihilation at the hands of the former Browns, it is time to consider the 2009 Browns the latest group of misfits, and call the total new Browns a failed experiment.

But where to go from here?

 

Open letter to Browns owner Randy Lerner:

“As a successful billionaire businessman, you must know the hiring of Eric Mangini is a mistake. The man is incapable of teaching, coaching, drafting or motivating the players on the Browns, the team that your father, Al Lerner, willed you on his deathbed. Al must be screaming obscenities from his grave.

“If a manager you appointed in your business failed to deliver on his promises, you would fire him — or at the very least — relocate him.

“Mangini believes he is a football god with all the answers. He is incapable of self-criticism — and those kind of individuals do not change or grow.

FIRE MANGINI TODAY. Take the hit to your wallet and find a better coach.

Sincerely,

Cleveland Browns fans from across the world”

The Cleveland Browns not only lost big to the Baltimore Ravens, but lost its team; and perhaps worse, demoralized so-called starting quarterback Brady Quinn and killed the confidence of Derek Anderson who was told right before the second half kick-off he was going in to face the Raven D.

Derek being Derek, his big gun drove the team down the field to a field goal, but his gun also misfired for three interceptions and a QB rating of 30.9. Quinn’s was 42.7. Baltimore’s Joe Flacco’s QB rating was about 110.

Perhaps Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer columnist said it best: “Until further notice, the Cleveland Browns have become the franchise where quarterbacks go to see their careers die.”

Quinn, who led the Notre Dame offense in college and put up 30 and 29 point respectively against Denver and Buffalo last year, suddenly can’t move the ball?

To quote a frustrated Buffalo Bill Terrell Owens after Sunday’s game, he runs “the plays that are called.”

The lame, vanilla plays called by rookie offensive coordinator Brian Dabold depend on a running back that equals the resurrection of a young Jim Brown. Two running plays up the middle with puny Jerome Harrison and a weak offensive line? Then it is third and seven and Braylon Edwards is not free, everyone else is covered or not looking — so what does a QB do? Either check down and complete a three yard pass (Quinn) or force the throw and wind up with three interceptions (Anderson).

The pathetic thing is, the Browns could have had better players like Cincy’s Rey Maualuga or Clay Mathews Jr. or Knowshon Moreno. And if Mangini was so unimpressed with his QBs, Mark Sanchez was there for the taking.

But Noooo! Let’s get a few Jets retreads instead.

Good draft picks were made in the second round with Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie. But Massaquoi has been a ghost on the field, barely there for one play, then *poof*…disappearing into the Browns bench. And Ohio State stand-out wide receiver Robiskie has not been allowed to dress. (Did Robiskie maybe voice his opinion to Coach or fail to bow with deference? Only the shadow knows.)

And now we hear that up to five Browns players are filing grievances against Mangini, at least two for being charged $1,700 for forgetting to pay for $3 bottles of water from a hotel.

Other players have quit on the field. When Baltimore gets three running touchdowns without any Cleveland defensive player even touching him … can they be this bad? Or have they given up?

You decide, midwestsportsfans.com readers.

**********

*- Derek Anderson photo credit: SI

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Disecting Dallas: A Good Example of What’s Wrong in Carolina

The Carolina Panthers are 0-3 after suffering defeat to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.  It’s almost comical how message boards and pundits have reacted.  Those who hate the quarterback blame Jake Delhomme and his two interceptions for the loss.  Those who are disappointed with Ron Meeks blame the defense.  It’s easy to point fingers at Julius Peppers, who earned his million dollars with a single tackle.  But what really went wrong?

The first half reflected a game plan to beat the Cowboys.  Carolina ran nine rushing plays and 17 passing, surrendering a sack.  That’s not exactly Panther football, but in the end they got a touchdown lead over the Cowboys.  Dallas, incidentally, ran 14 times and passed 20 in the first half in a more balanced attack that was in keeping with their offensive style.

By the end of the game the Panthers had run 14 rushing plays and 38 passing plays.  That means that after the half Carolina attempted just five rushes against 21 passes.  Dallas, on the other hand, finished with 27 designed rushing plays and 40 passing plays.  After the half they ran 13 times and rushed 20.  They stayed consistent with their game plan, while Carolina panicked.

To be fair, 11 of Carolina’s passes came after Dallas took a 21-7 lead.  But take those away and from the time the score was 7-0 Panthers through 7-3 and 7-10 and 7-13, Carolina ran five times and passed 10.  That’s an unexpected ratio for the Panthers.

Jake Delhomme played well.  Detractors will point to his two interceptions on the stat line, but losing a bomb where your receiver doesn’t fight for it and getting picked on a quick slant where the receiver changes his route at the last second doesn’t necessarily reflect poorly on the quarterback.  He completed 66 percent of his passes and made some good decisions out there.  He made bad ones as well, but on balance he played as well as he has in a ton of previous Panther victories against better opponents.

The offensive line did a mediocre job opening holes in the running game, but they did ok in protection.  Given the number of times Carolina passed, Dallas was bound to break through a couple of times and did.  But overall the line did it’s job giving Delhomme time to throw.  The Panthers seemed to be ok in run blocking, but they really didn’t run enough to find out.

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart both played well, both in the running game and in protection.

The wide receivers had a rather poor game, Muhsin Muhammad in particular.  He blocked well, but drew a costly penalty on his touchdown run that was called back.  It can be argued that he allowed the long interception—he was bodied up against the cornerback and could have fought for the ball.  He also let several passes go through his fingers.  Steve Smith had a stupid mistake late on the interception thrown his way, but to be fair he was double-covered the entire game.  That’s when you expect the other receiver to step up, and it didn’t happen.

Dante Rosario was the only visible tight end in the game, and he was just as noticeable for his poor blocking as his catching.  He also let a few well thrown balls slip through his fingers, notably the first pass attempt of the second half on a short route in the flat.  That led directly to Carolina’s first three-and-out situation in the second half.

Dallas had a nice possession that ended in a field goal in their opening series of the second half.  On that drive they mixed up the pass and the run well, and the Panthers did a nice job keeping them out of the end zone.

The next offensive series started with a ten yard sack of Delhomme.  Then Williams ran for a yard before Jake threw an pass to Smitty that got 15 when they needed 19.  The Panthers had another three and out, this time with two passes and one rush.

Then Dallas started the defining drive of the game.  Special Teams gave the Cowboys a short field at their own 42.  Dallas ran five plays, four of them rushing, and they punched it in the end zone on a Tashard Choice run. 

And that was it.  After that score the Panthers simply fell apart on their play calls.  It was 10-7, which is nothing to be ashamed of on the road.  There was plenty of time to come back, and the Panthers had proven able to move the ball.  But from this point forward the game plan changed, and the run was all but abandoned.

On the Panther’s next possession, Jake Delhomme threw three times, completing two.  The second completion was a deep route to Muhammad for a touchdown, which got called back because of offensive pass interference.  So the Panthers threw again, completing a 14 yard pass to Kenny Moore when they needed 16.  Once more, Baker had to punt.

Then Dallas put together a nice drive, mixing short passes with runs, that stalled in field goal range.  The Carolina defense held up, and the Panthers were still within a touchdown.

This time the Panthers tried to run once, sending Jonathan Stewart up the middle.  He was dropped for a loss, and after two more passing attempts with one five yard completion the Panthers had to punt again.  Fortunately for Carolina, the Panther defense held on the next drive, forcing a Cowboy punt.

Then the Panthers gave the ball to DeAngelo Williams, who got a first down on a 12-yard run.  That was his last rushing attempt of the game.  Jake threw an incomplete pass, then crossed wires with Smith on a slant, and the Cowboys intercepted and ran to the end zone.

After that score the Panthers managed 11 more offensive plays in the game, with every one being a pass.

Carolina likes to promote itself as a running team.  They have a quarterback who’s proven time and again to be a capable game manager, but not someone around whom an offense can be built.  Carolina runs a lot of play action with two receiver sets, and generally use the tight ends to block.  It’s not a wide open, quarterback-friendly system like a West Coast offense, and most plays don’t offer a lot of options for the quarterback like the offenses in Dallas and New Orleans do. 

What the offense does offer is the ability to run or pass out of most sets.  It doesn’t give the defenses a lot of clues as to what’s coming, and it allows for multiple options on any given play.  It’s a good offense, especially for a team that wants to run the ball.

That offense is particularly well suited for a team with running backs of Williams’ and Stewart’s caliber.  Both of them are capable of turning in hundred yard games with regularity, and each has a style that complements the other.  The Panthers’ starting receivers are both strong blockers in the running game, which is good because outside of Steve Smith, Carolina really doesn’t have any solid receiving options.

So why would an offense that’s so obviously geared up to run instead choose to rely on the arm of an aging game manager quarterback?  In 2008 the Panthers ran an average of 32 times a game and passed 26 times.  That resulted in the league’s third best rushing attack and a 12-4 record.  This year the Panthers have passed 36 times a game and only rushed 24 times.  Not only have they flipped their winning formula on it’s head, they’ve actually increased the passing ratio!

It’s easy to blame the quarterback or the defense for a loss, but when your team’s identity makes such a fundamental shift from one season to the next, there has to be another element at work.  Had these two teams played in 2008, it’s likely that the Panthers would have tried to run all over Dallas.  They were averaging 153 yards per game on the ground.  But in 2009, the Panthers are barely getting more than 100 rushing yards per game.  This is despite having all of their 2008 starters back on offense. 

For some reason, Carolina has abandoned their run and at the same time, lost their mojo.

Somewhere in the Carolina locker room a game plan is being drawn up for the Washington Redskins.  Perhaps over the bye week the coaching staff will rediscover the skill they had in calling plays in 2008.  If they do, expect to see a lot more of Williams and Stewart, and hopefully a Panther victory.  If they don’t, don’t be surprised at an 0-4 start.

And if they continue to put more stock in Jake Delhomme’s arm than DeAngelo Williams’ legs, it’s going to be a long and disappointing season in Carolina.

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Oakland Raiders Should Have Kept Garcia Instead of Starting Russell

What’s Bugging Me is a weekly column on FantasyPros911.com

What’s bugging me this week? How about the Oakland Raiders deciding to stick with Quarterback JaMarcus Russell instead of Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Jeff Garcia.

When Garcia signed with the Raiders in the offseason, it appeared he would compete with Russell for the starting job at quarterback, considering all the success he’s seen throughout his 11-year career (he lead three different teams—49ers, Eagles, and Buccaneers—to the playoffs).

Instead, he was released prior to Week One, leaving Russell as the starter for the Raiders at quarterback.

In my opinion, Russell is one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the NFL and should not have been the starter over Garcia for the Raiders this season. Perhaps that is not going out on too much of a limb, but he is easily the worst starting quarterback in football, and is not worth the $68 million the team signed him for after holding out all of training camp during his rookie season.

Through the first three games of the 2009 season, Russell has only thrown for 378 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. These statistics are pathetic for a quarterback as highly paid as he is, considering we have seen other players in the league who could equal his totals—if not surpass—in yards and touchdowns in just a single game. Not to mention he has a completion percentage of 41.3 percent—which ranks him 33rd among quarterbacks so far.

If anything, the Raiders should have considered keeping Garcia around for at least one season in case Russell struggled this season—which so far he has. He may not have won the starting job, but Garcia would have made a nice mentor for Russell to learn from or a quarterback to rely on if needed. Instead, the Raiders decided to part ways with the experienced quarterback and stick with the player who they are convinced is the future of their franchise.

Given the history of decision making in their front office, the mere fact that they are willing to go with Russell is evidence enough that he will fail.

They are too inept to hit a home run on such an important decision.

Don’t get me wrong; Russell still has plenty of time to develop his game and become the type of player the Raiders have been looking for at quarterback. Don’t count on it. However, it’s already been three years and his weaknesses continue to bring his value down as an elite quarterback in the NFL.

Russell’s passes are about as accurate as the predictions of Nostradamus or a basement dwelling psychic. He constantly fails to find a way to get the ball into the hands of his wide receivers and is constantly overthrowing the ball.

It may only be three games, but it is unacceptable for a quarterback who is making the type of money Russell is to have only one touchdown at this point in the season.

If the Raiders want to turn their franchise around at all in the next couple of years, they need to realize that Russell is not the answer. Otherwise, they will be looking back a few years from now and wonder where that $68 million went.

This article was originally published at FantasyPros911.com

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