49ers Can Tell Us They’re Running, But They Need To Show Us Some Passes

After all the nonsense and posturing, the meaningless preseason games and even more meaningless interviews, the time has come for Team “Don’t Tell Me, Show Me” to put up or shut up.

The “Nutcracker” drill has been put in storage for the winter, buried underneath the secret entrance behind Singletary Hill.

All the training camp drama—such as it was—has come and gone. Shaun Hill kept his starting quarterback job over hard tacklin’ Alex Smith, Shawntae Spencer came out of nowhere to snatch the cornerback job from the clutches of Dre’ Bly and Tarell Brown; and Adam Snyder won the right tackle spot, really just by being a ringside observer to a more unfortunate (and one-sided) duel between Marvel Smith and his aching back.

The 49ers have completed their training camp relatively unscathed and the 53 gentlemen left on the roster will be the same ones, more-or-less, that they’ll try and make do with in 2009.

Sure, there’s always the possibility that a Michael Crabtree will come to his senses and force the team into a transaction or two, but what reason is there for him to wake up smarter tomorrow than he has been for the previous 50 days, give-or-take?

These are your San Francisco 49ers. Love ’em or hey how are them Giants doin’ these days?

The season opener on Sunday sees the boys squaring off against their division “rivals” the Arizona Cardinals, and despite the small matter of Arizona being the defending conference champions, it looks like a decent match up for them.

Not only do they have a history of playing the Cardinals close (you no doubt remember the Monday Night fiasco last year, where good Ol’ Mike Martz called the first goal line dive in league history from the three yard line), but Arizona’s been positively dreadful during the preseason, with their own players admitting to being uninspired and lackadaisical.

The 2009 Football Outsiders Almanac, who charitably described the 2008 Cardinals as “one of the worst teams to ever play in a Super Bowl,” have crunched the numbers and calculated that these Cardinals project to having the third lowest mean number of wins this season, at 5.6, due mostly to quarterback Kurt Warner’s arm falling off, or something equally bad that happens to people when they turn 38.

I’m only seven years away from 38 and I’m not at all looking forward to using a keyboard with one hand, no matter how much experience my friends accuse me of having with that very scenario.

To the casual fan, the Cardinals would figure to boat race San Francisco. They can pass but can’t run on offense, and are okay stopping the run but flat out awful defending the pass. The 49ers, meanwhile, can run but refuse to pass unless it’s the last resort, and they’re very good at stopping the run but just middling against the pass.

You’re thinking to yourself “Kurt Warner + Larry Fitzgerald + Anquan Boldin + No pass rush = 0-1,” and no one can blame you.

However, there is hope, if you know where to look.

The Cardinals were the worst team in the league last year against the shotgun formation, and the 49ers had the second best differential between shotgun efficiency and under center efficiency.

It should stand to reason then that the 49ers should operate out of the shotgun plenty on Sunday and pass, pass, pass, right?

Sadly reason left this team somewhere around 2001 and hasn’t left a forwarding address.

They’re pledging to run 60 percent of the time, and seem a lot more intent on “doing what we do” than actually bothering to game plan around their opponent’s weaknesses. The second part of that plan would require acknowledging the existence of other teams, and that just isn’t the way things are done in 4949 Centennial Way.

Even without the shotgun, the Cardinals defense was only 26th against screen passes last year, and faced more running back screens than anybody. Hill has an arm built for throwing screens (but not through them) and since both “Coach Sing” and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye want Frank Gore to get the ball a ton anyways, I think I see a solution here.

Also, Vernon Davis, the centerpiece of Raye’s “tight end friendly” offense, can be dialed up for a few screens himself, as the Niners tied the Redskins last year with the most tight end screen attempts in the league.

Subtlety has always been a weakness of mine, so just to be clear, I think San Francisco needs to throw the ball quite a bit to have a chance on Sunday. They probably won’t, and we’ll see where that gets them.

 

O’ Captain, My Captain:

The interesting development on Friday was Singletary naming his six captains for the season. The first five—linebackers Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes, defensive end Justin Smith, running back and special teams ace Michael Robinson, and center Eric Heitmann—were of no surprise.

But Davis as the sixth guy? That’s nuttier than a Snickers bar inside the Amityville Insane Asylum’s cafeteria. 

While Singletary said that he gave Davis the honor because of the work ethic and leadership he showed throughout the team’s minicamps and training camp, his real reason is obvious—he’s hoping the title will motivate Davis into acting more mature and accountable on the field and off.

From 2002 to 2006 the team has drafted in the first round: Cornerback Mike Rumph, tackle Kwame Harris, receiver Rashaun Woods, quarterback Alex Smith, Davis, and Manny Lawson, who has been okay, not great, so far in his career.

If you want the single biggest reason why the franchise has sunk to such depths, there you go.

In 2007 they finally got it right with Willis and tackle Joe Staley, but all they have to show for 2008 is defensive end Kentwan Balmer, who gave them the inside of a doughnut his rookie year and isn’t making much of a dent in the depth chart this year either. Lest we forget, who knows what’s going to happen with Crabtree?

The team badly needs Davis to not be the bust he largely has been so far in his career and giving him the captain mantle might be their last desperate attempt at turning Davis’ considerable physical gifts into on field production.

Davis said that being named captain won’t change how he acts or plays and if he’s correct that’s very bad news for the 49ers. During training camp he got into a fight with linebacker Marques Harris and didn’t see the need to apologize to teammates for being the reason they all had to run gassers after practice.

Instead he offered the opinion that some guys should have thanked them, since they “needed the conditioning work,” in Davis’ words.

Some leader.

Then again, Davis showed composure and maturity in the locker room on Friday when he refused to get in a war of words in the media over the trash-talking Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson directed his way earlier in the week.

That’s at least a good start, but of course the proof in the pudding will be how Davis behaves and plays with Wilson on him this Sunday.

Personally, I’d have gone with Gore as the sixth captain. Who on the team better personifies “Don’t tell me, show me” than him?

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Jets-Texans: Will Rex Ryan Define the New, New York Jets in Houston?

The best first step will always be the one that supports your preferred stance. For first-year coach Rex Ryan and his New York Jets, the time to tie laces is rapidly drawing to a close.

Gang Green will kick off their 2009 season in Reliant Stadium when they take on Gary Kubiak and his Houston Texans. But this isn’t the same expansion team the Jets defeated in all three of their previous meetings.

The Texans are a team no longer interested in learning curves. They are a talented team, starved for respect in a competitive AFC South with hopes of sending an early message to the NFL.

For the Jets, Houston represents an immediate challenge in a schedule loaded with ever-present danger.

While all eyes will be on rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, fans should realize that the fifth-overall draft pick is not expected to be the actual star of the show. It’s Rex Ryan who has to prove his value through the tenacity of his defense on Sunday.

Ryan is a big man with an even bigger shadow cast over him. Ryan must shoulder the burden of his father Buddy Ryan’s reputation—a brilliant defensive mind, but mediocre head coach—in his first season.

The architect of Baltimore’s defense cannot show any signs of being overwhelmed with the responsibility of commanding an entire team.

Ryan’s first task places him in the unenviable position of standing behind his own strong words. The loquacious coach has to back up all of his offseason bravado or suffer the wrath of the media as they analyze his rhetoric.

The only way Ryan can avoid any criticism will be if his Jets support his confidence, and remain relentless at all times.

He must become the complete anti-Mangenius, so to speak.

One of the chief criticisms of ex-Jets coach Eric Mangini rested upon the flat performances his teams brought forth when the game was on the line. Under Mangini, the Jets were never devoid of true talent; their strategies simply lacked creativity when victory was imminent. 

Fourth-quarter leads were blown when Mangini and former DC Bob Sutton defaulted to a prevent-style defense with a bland, four-man rush. No pressure was applied to any offense as sub-par players looked like reincarnated Hall of Famers against the Jets.

Mangini failed to counter any and all adjustments his opponents made at the half. That’s the brand of football that Rex Ryan cannot subscribe to if he hopes to be successful in New York.

New DC Mike Pettine joins Ryan to make sure the Jets’ new-look defense doesn’t crumble when there’s a game to be won. But the new style and improved personnel face a direct challenge from the Texans.

Starting the season with a hackneyed expression may seem premature, but Sunday’s match-up should be determined by the ultimate battle of wills. Both teams match up against one another fairly evenly.

Second-year running back Steve Slaton looks to build upon a stellar rookie season where he rushed for over 1,200 yards. But he has trouble in front of him with All Pro nose tackle Kris Jenkins and the bolstered front seven he leads with linebacker Bart Scott.

Complementing Slaton is wide receiver Andre Johnson, one of the best players in the NFL—on and off the field. Johnson led the NFL with 115 receptions in 2008, yet remains underrated for his relatively low media profile.

“He really flies under the radar because he’s a soft-spoken individual who just goes out, plays, and performs. He comes to work every day to get better,” said Texans’ QB Matt Schaub last month.

“He’s not one of those, ‘typical’ receivers you see in the game today who’s gonna have the camera in his face all the time with the media,” continued Schaub. “He goes to work and whatever it takes to win is what he wants to do.”

All of Johnson’s hard work will be put to an immediate test when he lines up against Jets’ star cornerback Darrelle Revis. The third-year pro is regularly acknowledged as one of the best defensive backs in the league, blanketing top receivers at every opportunity.

On top of having to throw against Revis, Schaub has been hobbled by a preseason ankle injury that’s brought his status for Sunday’s game into question.

If the sixth-year pro cannot play, Kubiak is prepared to start the season with ex-Bears QB Rex Grossman.

Ultimately, the only matchup of significance is the one between Rex Ryan and his Jets. The sooner the players can synch up with Ryan’s vision of Jets football, then the sooner the New York can produce results and fulfill some of the coach’s promises.

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2009 NFC Breakout Players

Every year there are countless breakout players. Some are young players who finally get a chance to play, high draft picks who finally live up to their potential, contract year players, and some come out of nowhere. Last years breakout players included DeAngelo Williams, Aaron Rogers, and Antonio Bryant. Now onto this years candidates from the NFC.

 

Dallas Cowboys—Martellus Bennett

Bennett has made a lot of noise this off season for his off the field antics but is also impressing on the field.  The talented tight end’s immaturity may be the only thing holding him breaking out.  With the rapid development of Bennett the Cowboys will use a two tight end  set as their base formation this season. 

Combine that will the departure of Terrell Owens and Bennett will be looking at a lot more targets.  Even with Jason Witten ahead of him on the depth chart I wouldn’t be surprised if Bennett finished third on the team in receiving.

 

New York Giants—Terrell Thomas

Thomas has a nice season as a rookie last year and will look to build off that this season.  Playing mostly in a nickel and dime role Thomas impressed and even started two games due to injuries.  With Aaron Ross currently nursing a nagging hamstring injury Thomas has an opportunity to seize the starting job.  Playing opposite Corey Webster  will not hurt as well as having perhaps the best pass rush in the game.  A complete corner, Thomas could have a big season this year.

Philadelphia Eagles—DeSean Jackson

Jackson was electrifying as a rookie igniting the Eagles offense.  He finished the season just short of 1000 yards and looks like the No.1 receiver the Eagles have been searching for ever since Terrell Owens left town.  As good as he was last season he still made rookie mistakes, most noticeably prematurely dropping the ball before he crossed the end zone which could have been very costly.  With another year of seasoning Jackson should be even better this year as he becomes Donovan McNabb’s clear No.1 target.

Washington Redskins—Jason Campbell

This pick is the most surprising of the bunch but I believe Campbell has a good chance to break out this year.  In the off season the Redskins attempted to trade for Jay Cutler and draft Mark Sanchez but failed on both attempts leaving Campbell in a precarious situation. Campbell has kept his cool throughout the entire situation not lashing out to the media about the situation. 

Knowing this is his last chance to impress Campbell will give it his all this season.  Another year in Jim Zorn’s system can’t hurt either. The possible emergence of second year wide outs Devin Thomas and/or Malcolm Kelly would only help. This also happens to be Campbell’s contract year.

 

Chicago Bears—Greg Olsen

Olsen has improved in his two years in the league and looks poised to have a breakout year this season. He has shared time with Desmond Clark but is now firmly the starter. Chicago also acquired this guy called Jay Cutler who is a hell of a lot better than Kyle Orton. Olsen will be the primary target in the passing offense which will pass more this season with Cutler at the helm.

 

Detroit Lions—Cliff Avril

Avril was one of the few bright spots on a win less Lions team. The rookie from Purdue was a constant force in rushing the passer and notched five sacks despite starting only four games. Now Avril will be starting from week one giving him a full season to wreck havoc. If the Lions improve this season he will be a big part of the success.

 

Green Bay Packers—Jermichael Finley

Finley didn’t play much as a rookie as he was considered raw coming out of college. Finley though, has improved his blocking dramatically and it has earned him more playing time. He has drawn rave reviews for his play in training camp and has torn it up in the preseason. Finley will start the season splitting time with veteran Donald Lee but don’t be shocked when Finley takes over early in the season.

 

Minnesota Vikings—Tyrell Johnson

Johnson started seven games at free safety as a rookie due to an injury to Madieu Williams and was impressive.  The coaches thought so much of him that they decided to let defensive leader Darren Sharper walk in free agency.  Following Sharpers release Johnson will slide into his spot at strong safety.  Johnson is more of a strong safety than free as he is a better in the box player and this year he will be able to play to his strengths.

 

Atlanta Falcons- Curtis Lofton

Lofton came in and started at middle linebacker as a rookie last year but looked like a seasoned veteran out there.  Now entering his second year Lofton will take on a greater role on defense.  With the departure of longtime starter Keith Brooking, Lofton will be the leader on the defense and wear the defensive headset. 

He will also now be playing all three downs as opposed to two, which he did lats year.  He is a tackling machine who racked up 94 last year and playing all three downs this year will only increase that number.  He has shown dedication by shedding eight pounds to improve his coverage skills which would make him a complete linebacker.

 

Carolina Panthers—Richard Marshall

Marshall is entering his fourth year in the league and this year appears to be the year where he will finally breakout.  He has flashed in his three years amassing seven interceptions and returning two for touchdowns but has not had the opportunity to start.  The Panthers released Ken Lucas in the off season paving the way for Marshall to step up.  New defensive coordinator Ron Meeks likes his corners to play very physical, which is an area Marshall excels in.  Marshall will be highly motivated as he in entering a contract year and knows with solid play he will cash in big in the free agent market.

 

New Orleans Saints—Tracy Porter

Porter was off to a nice rookie campaign before an injury shelved him for the season after only five games.  In those five games though, Porter had emerged as the Saints top corner back.  He returns this season as a starter in an improved Saints secondary which will benefit him.   Porter possess excellent speed and in a play maker in the secondary.  Expect porter to be a key component on a much improved Saints defense this season.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Gaines Adams

The former fourth overall pick has been solid but not spectacular in his first two seasons in the league.  He has collected 12.5 sacks and was off to a nice start last season before fading down the stretch.  He certainly has some motivation as his head coach publicly said that if he doesn’t record double digit sacks he will be considered a bust.    He will also be helped by the defensive system under Jim Bates.  Adams used to line up head on against the left tackle but now will line up wide of the tackle giving him an angle and allowing him to use some of his freakish athleticism.  I expect Adams to meet his coach’s goal of double digit sacks.

 

Arizona Cardinals—Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Cromartie had a great rookie year capped by an excellent postseason which saw him emerge as the Cards best corner.  He picked off four passes in the regular season and then added two more in the playoffs.  Coming out of small school Tennessee State, not much was expected of Cromartie but he proved the naysayers wrong.  He possess a rare combination of size (6’2″) and speed (4.33) and also has great ball skills as evidenced by his performance last season.  Cromartie is on his way into becoming an elite shutdown corner, which are few and far between nowadays in the NFL.

 

Saint Louis Rams—Donnie Avery

As a rookie wide receiver Avery impressed last season.  Although it was viewed as a reach when the Rams selected him as the first wide receiver last year in the draft Avery lived up to the hype.  His emergence made longtime veteran Torry Holt expendable for the Rams in the off season.  He enters the year as the No.1 target for Marc Bulger, who is looking to rebound after a couple of rough years.  The speedy Avery was hurt earlier in camp but now is fully recovered and ready to go for the opener.  A 1,000 yard campaign is certainly in reach for the sophomore wide out.

San Francisco 49ers—Josh Morgan

As a sixth round pick last season Morgan was the star of training camp and looked like he was going to make a big impact.  Then right before the season he got a staph infection and lost 15 pounds.  Morgan returned during the season and had two nice games in a row before getting injured again. 

Heading into this season Morgan impressed at OTAs.  He has also benefited from the Michael Crabtree holdout and will start the season as the starter and will remain one as Crabtree is likely to have no impact this season if any at all.  Although the 49ers want to run a run orientated offense when they pass Morgan will be the go to guy.

 

Seattle Seahawks—John Carlson

Carlson had a very impressive rookie season for the Seahawks as he led the team in receiving.  He was the lone bright spot on  a Seahawk offense that was decimated by injuries last year.  While that won’t be the case this year with T.J. Houshmandzadeh in town he will be the No.2 target in the offense.  Carlson will be helped greatly by a healthy Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback after having to suffer through Seneca Wallace and Charlie Frye last year.  He will also benefit by playing in Greg Knapp’s offense which has been very friendly to tight ends in the past.

 

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Pittsburgh Steelers’ Parker and Mendenhall: Should We Call Them Must And Bust?

We had perfect weather for viewing the game that everyone had waited to see. 

Scheduled to kickoff the 2009 NFL season, The Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers would at last face off against the last team to beat them, the Tennessee Titans.

The delicate, early evening breeze was the perfect compliment to the warmth of the radiant, late summer sun that shone down over the city of Pittsburgh.

The harmonious conditions that combined to form a beautiful evening were something to be enjoyed yet sadly, not a foreshadowing of a balance or a collaboration that we would observe among the Steelers’ running backs.

There was no one, two punch.  There was nothing.

The first quarter was abysmal.

The first Steeler possession, the one we had waited for so long to see featured a dreaded sight: Willie Parker attempting to rush to the right only to hit a wall and suffer a three yard loss. 

On the next possession, Parker attempted another rush to the right resulting in a one yard loss.

Near the end of the quarter, Parker chalked up his first positive yardage, a run to the right again for one yard.

Rashard Mendenhall fared little better on the Steelers’ third series taking the ball up the middle for one yard on first down, and two yards on second down setting up the predictable “3rd-and-long”, ending with Ben Roethlisberger being sacked for a loss.

The next quarter was more of the same.  Attempts made by Parker to skip out to the right resulted in minimal gains.

The fact that Troy Polamalu was responding to the Tennessee offense like a one man defense machine while the rest of the Steeler D played with solid determination almost seemed lost on the crowd.

We were focused on watching the improvement in our running game.  A failure to resuscitate the philosophy of smash mouth football in Pittsburgh gave the stadium a feeling that we were beaten, though the scoreboard remained at 0-0 until late in the first half.

Mewelde Moore did a good job in the second half.  A good job in that he did at least what we expect of him.  His stats were no better than Parker’s or Mendenhall’s, but he converted a critical “2nd-and-1” in overtime.

Without irony, I felt that we all knew the gravity of that “2nd-and-1” because during the course of the game, a “3rd-and-1” became almost worse than a “3rd-and-12”.

None of the Super Bowl highlights flashing periodically on the now malfunctioning jumbotron could convince the crowd that we had a running game, or an answer in short yardage situations.

Mewelde delivered on “2nd-and-1” but we remember his foiled attempts to punch it into the end zone against the Chargers late in the 2008 season.

Perhaps we were wishing we could see a little of the preseason phenom, Isaac Redman on 3rd downs.  

Yet the solid but not dominant performance of preseason stand out Stefan Logan reminded us, training camp heroes can whither like the glorious blooms of summer once the cold wind starts to gust off of the icy rivers.

Isaac Redman can’t save us next week.  What can fix our running game?

A glaring statistic that lingers from the game is Parker’s 13 attempts for 19 yards. Mendenhall fared no better, gaining a total of six yards after four attempts.

Parker and Mendenhall both finished the game averaging 1.5 yards per carry with Mewelde Moore also gained a total of just eight yards after five attempts and 1.6 yards per carry.

At the end of a game that lasted late into the night, the Steelers combined rushing yard total was an inauspicious 36.

The once proud tradition of Steeler football now looks truly to be a derelict concept.

Steeler fans, from the most learned well-versed super fan down to the casual observer, frequently cite Bruce Arians’ refusal to use a full-back as a reason that the run has lost its power.  

The offensive line and their inability to create running gaps is mentioned in the next breath.

Lastly, the talent level of the running backs themselves is called into question.

At the end of the day, the absence of the belief that we are pounding the opposition is leaving the fans feeling flat.

I have to agree.  We all love the image of Bettis kneeing Urlacher’s face and body out of his way as he storms into the snow covered end zone.

That brand of offense breeds a sense of dominance.

Its absence in real games in real time begins to shadow the fact that we have made improvements in our special teams.

It lingers as a weakness behind our proud, dominant defense.

It compromises the place where we remain effective on offense, Roethlisberger in the shotgun marching his team down the field.

I want to believe in Willie Parker.  I loved the Bills game in 2004 where he gave his first real stand out performance.  I felt for him last night as he pounded his clenched fist on the turf after being stuffed for no gain again and again.

My feelings for Rashard Mendenhall are less empathetic.  I can’t see any signs of true commitment.  I want him to change my mind.

I like Mewelde Moore.  His breakout performance by default in last year’s regular season game at Heinz Field against the Ravens was solid.  But he is best as a versatile weapon, not a starting back.

Even if we were playing perfect football in the other two areas of the game, football just doesn’t feel like football for Steeler fans unless there is a strong running game.

I join the coaches in wringing my hands with few solutions to offer.  

My remedy is my hope that they grasp the fan’s feelings that alternate approaches, be it a fullback, the odd gadget, basically whatever isn’t a run to the right or up the middle, must be taken to remedy the situation.

Failure to be truly innovative with our running game could erode much of the potential not only to be great, but to be the historical football team that we see possible with the 2009 Steelers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Ravens Wide Receiving Corps: Let’s Examine This “Problem”…

The Baltimore Ravens are expected to contend this year. If anything, they look like a good bet to grab one of the final two spots as a Wild Card team. One thing people claim to be a weakness on this team is the wide receiving core. The Ravens have just four receivers, as they cut Eron Riley, Justin Harper, and Yamon Figurs, and decided to keep Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Kelley Washington, and Demetrius Williams.

You have to figure that core is going to catch some criticism. Mason is very productive, but 35 years old. Clayton is inconsistent. Williams has the tools, but can’t stay healthy. Washington hasn’t really proven much and is nothing more than a No. 5 on most teams.

And the “analysts” who reside in Bristol, CT (ESPN) point this out to be a major weakness.

Really? That logic certainly applied last year, when the Ravens had a non-existent Todd Heap, and only two of those four receivers played a full season with Baltimore. Yet, they went to the AFC Championship. Let’s allow “expert” Cris Carter tell it like it is. “They’re not that good. If they get in a close game and the other team is just a little better, they will lose.”

That’s such a complex theory Sir, I don’t think I can keep up with that. If it’s close and the other team is better, the other team will win. And that argument certainly is fact driven. Do tell, Cris!

But back to the core. People were shocked when the Ravens didn’t draft a receiver in the first round, or in the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh, for that matter. People were also somewhat surprised when the Ravens passed on free agents like Terrell Owens, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Torry Holt, and Marvin Harrison and also didn’t trade for disgruntled wideouts like Brandon Marshall or Anquan Boldin. The cold truth: it wouldn’t make sense.

First of all, would these players really fit? Obviously, guys like Harrison and Holt are as old—or older—than Mason. Harrison is on a steep decline. After catching 95 passes for 1,366 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2006, he’s combined for 80 catches, 881 yards, and six touchdowns his last two seasons.

He’s also in legal trouble, and is 37 years old. Nonsensical. Holt is also the same way. He’s 33, and had the worst year of his career in 2008, with just 12.4 yards per catch and three touchdowns. Also nonsensical. And where can you even start with Terrell Owens? The Ravens, while looking for wins now, are building for the future, and T.O. is 35, and really seemed inconsistent last year.

Let’s not forget that he’s selfish. He’s the polar opposite of Mason. He’s not a team player. He’d also consume about $7 million in cap space that the Ravens would want to use to re-sign Terrell Suggs, which they eventually did, and guys the Ravens want to extend in the future, like Haloti Ngata, Jared Gaither, Fabian Washington, Dawan Landry, and Le’Ron McClain. Bringing in T.O. would cause the inevitable locker room divide.

Houshmandzadeh would be the same thing. He’s certainly a fantastic possession receiver, but would the Ravens want to pay him $44 million over four years like the Seattle Seahawks did? Absolutely not.

Like I said, the Ravens want to pay guys like Suggs, Ngata, Gaither, and McClain, homegrown guys who are also younger then T.J. The same logic applies with Marshall and Boldin. Marshall is a walking headache. We all saw the infamous practice video. The one where he refused to catch passes, punted the ball after running drills, and walked across the field during sprints.

If he wanted to kill all of his trade value, he did a mighty good job. He wants one thing: money. And the Ravens can’t provide it to guys like that.

Same thing with Boldin. He wants Larry Fitzgerald money. You can’t ask the Ravens to sign two guys to lucrative extensions in consecutive years. They signed Terrell Suggs to a six-year, $63 million extension last offseason, and if the Ravens were to trade Boldin, the entire season would be an audition for a pay day for him.

So, I mean, really? You think the Ravens should pay a receiver when they’ve proven they can win with the guys they have? Why fix it if it’s not broken?

And in the draft, the Ravens had a chance to take a guy like Kenny Britt or Hakeem Nicks in the first round, but they had an opportunity they couldn’t pass up. They had a chance to take Michael Oher, an offensive tackle many were comparing to Orlando Pace. And it’s pure luck, too. Just weeks after selecting him, Willie Anderson retired, and Adam Terry was on injured reserve, and that would leave the Ravens with no right tackle. Luckily, they selected Oher, and signed him to a rather cheap five-year, $13 million deal.

I think Ozzie Newsome put it best: “If we take care of Joe, Joe will take care of us.” By that, he means that if the Ravens have a solid offensive line, the Ravens won’t need a receiver of Brandon Marshall or Anquan Boldin’s stature. The Ravens have a very dangerous duo of offensive tackles with Jared Gaither and Oher, who average 22.5 years of age, but that’s not to say they aren’t good.

Last year, Gaither did a very good job stepping in for that Jonathan Ogden guy, who had a decent 12-year career. The 22-year-old Gaither allowed three sacks in 15 starts, ranking sixth in the league, ahead of guys like Walter Jones, Matt Light, and Joe Thomas. And what can you say about Oher? He did a good job during the preseason, and I have great confidence in him.

The Ravens also have a good guard tandem. Ben Grubbs is a very underrated guy, as are most guards. Marshal Yanda has been good during his career with the Ravens. And then at center, the Ravens have some experience in Matt Birk, who signed a three-year, $12M free agent contract this offseason. With the Vikings, he made six Pro Bowls.

So, you don’t need an amazing receiver. Would it be nice for Flacco to throw to Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall? Of course it would. It’d be a nice sight to see. But the offensive line will make Joe look better, who will make the receivers look better.

The Ravens are no stranger to proving doubters wrong. I see this as no exception.

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NFL Team Previews: Seattle Seahawks

Pigskin Heaven‘s Sascha Bartels is breaking down every single team in the NFL prior to the season. Here is his analysis and forecast for the Seattle Seahawks. Click on a team to read its preview.

AFC East: BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ

AFC North: BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT

AFC South: IND | HOU | JAX | TEN

AFC West: DEN | KAN | OAK | SDG

NFC East: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS

NFC North: CHI | DET | GBA | MIN

NFC South: ATL | CAR | NOL | TBA

NFC West: ARI | STL | SFO | SEA

 

What’s New?

Did the Seahawks of 2008 simply run into a string of bad luck and injuries, or was the season a sign of things to come?  Well, we’ll see.  Meanwhile, Mike Holmgren retires and Jim Mora takes over the squad.

Early in the offseason, the only news the ‘Hawks made was with the signing of T.J. Houshmanzadeh, and then the trading away of Julian Peterson for former Lions defensive tackle Cory Redding.

With a top five draft pick, the Seahawks helped themselves by taking the top rated linebacker in the draft, Aaron Curry.  Later in the draft the team also added help for the offensive line in Max Unger, as well as another receiver, Deon Butler and a quarterback, Mike Teel.

Later into the offseason, the Seahawks let go of back T.J. Duckett in favor of Edgerrin James.  The biggest problem in Seattle is Marcus Trufant, and his failure to report to camp.  For whatever reason, the team recently decided that Lawyer Milloy was a needed addition to the roster.

Three Burning Questions

Will Matt Hasselbeck be healthy and effective this season?

Last season, in seven games played, Hasselbeck only completed 52 percent of his passes, and threw twice as many interceptions than touchdowns.  Will he be more effective this season?

The big acquisition was Houshmanzadeh, but he isn’t the youngest anymore either. You would think Seattle saw enough of older receivers on injury lists last year to take that sort of chance.

Nonetheless, with T.J., rookie Butler, Deion Branch and tight end John Carlson, Hasselbeck should have a better season, at least until further notice.

 

Speaking of injuries, is Walter Jones back to his former self?

If he’s 100 percent, he’s probably still the best tackle in the game.

But missing time last season, coupled with being 35, and the Seahawks should at least brace for a diminished Jones.  At least it looks like the Seahawks did a little bit of preparing, and bolstering the line.

Unger is likely to start at guard, but Sean Locklear and Mansfield Wrotto don’t really scare anybody, do they?  With Jones likely not fit until a couple of weeks into the season, and starting center Chris Spencer out for even longer, the biggest concern this year for the Seahawks may be with that offensive line.

 

No Trufant, will the defense suffer a setback?

The Seattle defense features some talent, but nonetheless, they ranked only 30th in football last year, an overall stat that found them below even the atrocious Denver Broncos defense.

Enter Redding and Curry, two guys the Seahawks are counting on heavily to return the defense to credibility.  Patrick Kerney will be 33 soon, and Seattle will be hoping on some young talent to develop and help out the rest of that defensive line, guys like Michael Bennett, Brandon Mebane and Lawrence Jackson.

The leader of the defense is certainly still Lofa Tatupu, and being joined by Curry and Leroy Hill will make the linebackers the best unit on the defense.  But will it be good enough?

 

Fantasy Forecast

Good Plays:  There aren’t any Seahawks I would put in the really important category.  Houshmanzadeh should be solid, as should Carlson, but that could be about it.

Avoid:  James and Julius Jones at this point in their careers are marginal at best, and should only even be considered for roster spots on the really big leagues.

Sleeper:  I liked Deon Butler when the team drafted him, and it seems like he’s been playing quite well so far this preseason.  He may warrant a pick-up later in the year.

 

Prognosis

For the prognosis and final record, read the originally posted article here.

This is an original article by Pigskin Heaven Staffer, Sascha Bartels. You can read it, more of Sascha’s articles, and more from the Pigskin Heaven staff here.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Green Bay Packers Week One Preview: Here Come The Bears

It’s finally here…almost.

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears are less than 48 hours away from opening their 2009 regular seasons.  Both have aspirations of winning the NFC North and making a run to Super Bowl XLIV.  The roads for both teams start this Sunday night against each other at Lambeau Field.

For once, there wasn’t a quarterback causing a stir up Green Bay’s way.  There definitely was a stir in Chicago though.

Jay Cutler, unhappy with the way new Denver coach Josh McDaniels failed to hide his dream of coaching Matt Cassell as a Bronco (and maybe with the way mean ol’ Philip Rivers picked on him), demanded to be traded.

Denver found a suitor in the Chicago Bears.

Without question, this is a significant upgrade for the entire Bears franchise, whose quarterback history will not be re-hashed here, but suffice it to say that it’s not a good one.

Cutler will find himself going up against a revamped and, from the looks of the preseason, rejuvenated defensive unit for the Green Bay Packers.  Charles Woodson will be able to show off his Heisman Trophy winning athleticism and All-Pro zone coverage instincts for the first time since coming to Green Bay.

But the Bears aren’t stupid.  They know that the Packers secondary will have the advantage against a group of number two receivers and a kickoff returner masquerading as one.

Instead, the Bears will try to take advantage of Aaron Kampman, who is moving from defensive end to linebacker in the new 3-4 defense.  Look for Bears tight end and top receiving threat Greg Olsen to line up on Kampman’s side trying to take advantage of his inexperience in pass protection.

If the Bears are to win this game, they will need Olsen and running back Matt Forte to control the football and efficiently move the offense down the field in clock consuming scoring drives.  This will make the Packer defense tired and, more importantly, keep Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense off the field.

But if Chicago is unable to sustain drives, watch out.  The Bears defense, assumed to be stout because it’s the Bears defense, isn’t as good as it has been in the past.

Brian Urlacher and the rest of Chicago’s defensive front seven is aging.  Same with the Bear safeties.  Top cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman is listed as questionable for the game, which could spell big trouble for third-year player Trumaine McBride, who will be forced to cover either Greg Jennings or Donald Driver.

When the Packers have the ball, Aaron Rodgers will try to exploit the short handed secondary of Chicago.  Sprinkle in a little Ryan Grant to keep the safeties honest, and there’s a good possibility of Rodgers having a huge game in his 2009 debut.

In an exciting game pitting the NFL’s oldest rivals against each other, Rodgers and the Packers passing attack will be too much for a dinking and dunking Chicago counter-attack.

Final Score: Green Bay 30-17 Chicago

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Broncos-Bengals Preview: Keys to Victory For Denver

The Denver Broncos will kick off their 2009 season at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio on Sunday, and the anticipation for Broncos fans is arguably at an all-time high.

Aside from the highly anticipated debut of quarterback John Elway, the season debut of head coach Josh McDaniels and his revamped Broncos squad is going to be one of the most talked about Denver debuts in a long time.

Cincinnati receiver Chad Ochocinco has already made things interesting by Tweeting he would “embarrass” the Broncos and star cornerback Champ Bailey.

The last time Denver played Cincinnati was on a cold day in 2006 when the Bengals bobbled a snap on the potential game-tying extra point, and the Broncos held on to a close 24-23 victory.

Denver has won 10 of its last 12 meetings with the Bengals, and is dominating the overall series between the two teams with a record of 16-8.

With all of the negative publicity surrounding the Broncos heading into this season, how can they make their way to the winner’s circle on Sunday afternoon?

 

Key Matchups

• Broncos front seven vs. Bengals offensive line:  Let’s face it:  The Bengals’ offensive line is horrible, and the Broncos’ defensive front seven has been among the worst in the NFL over the last two years.  The Bengals have not proven to be able to protect their franchise quarterback the last couple of years either, so Denver’s improved front seven should take advantage of this matchup. Outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil has really excelled as a pass rusher in his new role, and the Denver defensive line looks vastly improved.  Cincinnati has really bulked up on their frontline, but first round draft pick Andre Smith is not going to be playing.  This is an area the Broncos need to really take advantage.
• Bengals receivers vs. Broncos defensive backs:  The Bengals suffered a huge loss this offseason when T.J. Houshmandzadeh left for Seattle, but they were able to replace him with veteran Laveranues Coles and some developmental prospects taken in the 2008 draft.  Their trio of Chad Ochocinco, Coles, and Chris Henry is among the best in the NFL, but Denver’s defensive backfield is greatly improved from 2008.  The Broncos added safeties Brian Dawkins, Renaldo Hill, Darcel McBath, and David Bruton, and cornerbacks Andre’ Goodman and Alphonso Smith.  The Broncos have some favorable matchups with Bailey on Ochocinco, Goodman on Coles, and the only question will be who covers the 6’4″ Chris Henry.  The Broncos could choose to match him up with David Bruton, a bigger safety, but the safe bet is on Smith.  This will be a fun matchup to watch, providing the Broncos can put adequate pressure on Carson Palmer.
• Broncos’ run offense vs. Bengals’ run defense:  This could be the absolute biggest and most crucial matchup of this game.  If the Broncos can control the line of scrimmage and run the ball with consistency, they could potentially dominate this contest.  The Bengals’ run defense has not been known to be elite over the last couple of years, and the Broncos’ offensive line is among the best in the NFL.  Rookie tailback Knowshon Moreno is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, but is expected to play.  Correll Buckhalter is set to start anyway, and the Broncos also have Peyton Hillis to take some carries.

This game, unlike most Broncos contests from 2008, does not appear poised to be decided by the big play.  The Broncos are going to have to rely on a steady dose of intermediate passes and a solid running game to beat the Bengals offensively, and they are going to have to be aggressive on defense.

Denver’s cornerbacks are good enough to the point where they can take risks in coverage against Cincinnati’s deep receiving core.

One question surrounding the Broncos was regarding the coverage skills of their linebackers, which will not be tested too much by Cincinnati, who lacks a serious threat at the tight end position.

Even though the Bengals do not appear to pose a serious threat to the AFC in 2009, this is an absolutely huge game for the Broncos.  They need to get off to a good start to the season to take advantage of a relatively weak part of a difficult schedule.

 

Injury Report

Cincinnati

OUT:  CB David Jones, OT Andre Smith

QST:  OT Scott Kooistra

PRB:  WR Chris Henry, S Roy Williams, QB Carson Palmer

 

Denver

OUT:  S Josh Barrett, DL Le Kevin Smith

QST:  WR Jabar Gaffney, QB Chris Simms, G Chris Kuper, RB Knowshon Moreno

PRB:  S Brian Dawkins, QB Kyle Orton

 

Line:  Cincinnati by five

 

Team Comparisons

QB:  Bengals

RB:  Broncos

WR:  Broncos

TE:  Broncos

OL:  Broncos

DL:  Push

LB:  Broncos

DB:  Broncos

ST:  Broncos

Coaching:  Bengals

Advantage:  Broncos

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Things I Could Have Been Doing Waiting For A Cowboy’s Playoff Win

It is the Friday before the first Sunday of the NFL Season. 

It’s hands down one of the most exciting times of the year, and for the NFL fan the countdown to another 17-plus weeks of excitement now stands at a tantalizing two days.

Fantasy football teams are drafted.

Suicide/Survivor pools are finalized.

The Week One lines are set in Vegas.

Most importantly, the ‘Boys in Dallas are getting set to strap on their star-studded headgear in yet another attempt to further the legacy and storied history of America’s Team.

It’s not hard to justify the use of such rosy and reverent vernacular when describing a franchise that has won more Super Bowls than any other not named the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But personally, I’m over it.

I am the biggest Cowboys fan you could ever imagine, and I am in no way ashamed to admit that. But no longer will I feel comfortable citing aggregate Super Bowl wins to quell the ever-present antagonizing Eagles fan.

No longer can I cite the glory days of Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, and Michael Irvin when asked to justify why the Dallas Cowboys are, for lack of a better term, “the dopeness.” To do so would be just as silly as pinning the 2009 season’s hopes on the influences Tom Landry left behind.

No longer do I believe the Dallas Cowboys deserve the attention that has been alotted to them by both fans and media alike, since the Trinity walked the field in the ’90s.

This realization came on the heels of me finally coming to grips with one of the most head-scratchingly embarrassing number I have ever had to endure as a sports fan: 13.

It has been 13 years since the Cowboys last won the Super Bowl. Thirteen years!

I had heard that number thrown at me in the past months and just shrugged it off, chalking it up to the same typical Cowboys-hate that comes with the territory of being a fan of the blue and silver.

However, last week I sat down and actually pondered just how long a time 13 years is, and the realizations were staggering.

To put this number in perspective, I compiled a list of the things I could have been doing (hypothetically) while waiting for the Cowboys to win a single playoff game:

 

Fight In The First Three Crusades

Say I was a super soldier with a time machine (I’ve already piqued Nicolas Cage’s interest), and was hired mercenary-style to fight in the Battle for the Holy Land.

I would be able to participate in the first three medieval wars (1095-1099, 1147-1159, and 1187-1192) in the time that has elapsed since the Cowboys’ last playoff victory.

The Europeans and Saracens were able to go to war three different times in 13 years (and keep in mind this is an era where you had to walk to get from London to Jerusalem), and Dallas can’t even scrounge up a playoff win in the same time period.

I will now go fall on the nearest scimitar.

 

Write the Entire Four Book Lord Of The Rings Books From Scratch

By all accounts, it took Peter Jackson like 200 years to write the Lord of the Rings books.

All joking aside, anybody who has ever picked up one of these books (I mean that literally…you don’t even have to read them, they are each like 500 pages and 20 lbs) can recognize what a hefty undertaking it was to craft the deep and beautifully thought out universe that is J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth.

He invented his own races. 

He invented his own geography.

He even invented his own language (Elvish), complete with its own unique alphabet and grammatical rules.

Glancing over such amazing accomplishments, one wonders if he ever had time to invent a girlfriend (heyo!).

Regardless, it took Tolkien 12 years (1937-1949) to write this wonderfully imaganitive series, one less year than it has taken the Cowboys to win a playoff game.

I will now walk up to the first Ent I see and ask him to body-slam me.

 

Live Through The Reign of Julius Caesar—Three Times

Julius Caesar remains as one of history’s most compelling, interesting, and terrifying figures. 

Through brilliant military strategy and general bad-assery, Julius Caesar transformed Rome from a Republic weighed down by more bureaucratic red tape than your local DMV to the Roman Empire, one of the most impressive and sprawling empires the world has ever known.

Through his rule, he created the title of “Roman Emperor,” a position that lasted for, oh, the next 1,480 years. Suffice it to say, this was a pretty significant period in the history of the world.

However, as influential as Caesar’s reign was, it only lasted four years (48-44 BCE).

I could hop in my time machine and go through that period three separate times in the same time frame that I have instead been using to watch every single Cowboys game since 1996 without a playoff win.

 

Fight In World War I And World War II

Say I was such an effective Timecop-style mercenary during the Crusades that word spread throughout time and my services were needed to defeat the Germans in either World War I or World War II.

Would I have to delay my services out of fear of missing a Cowboys playoff win?

What’s worth noting is that they both changed the geo-political landscape of the entire world, and both of them took less than 13 years to complete (WWI:1914-1918, WWII: 1939-1945).

I could have literally attempted to take over the world in the time since I’ve last seen a victorious Dallas Cowboys playoff game. 

Anybody got an extra tank of mustard gas?

 

Sail Around the World in a Wind-Powered Wooden Ship Using Only The Stars To Navigate….Twice

Ask any elementary school child or creepy-friend-who-is-way-too-good-at-Jeopardy! (we all have one) about the exploits of Ferdinand Magellan, and they will joyously recount his heroic exploits as the first sailor to circumnavigate the globe.

The fact that Magellan himself got butchered by natives in the Philippines halfway through the journey and still gets credit for it remains up there with the blown fumble call in the Broncos-Chargers game last year as one of history’s biggest injustices.

However, despite the fact many people thought the world was flat, one could only navigate using a compass and the stars, and people were dying because they hadn’t eaten fresh fruit in fave years, “Magellan” was able to complete this journey in 6 years (1519-1525).

I could have participated in that fiasco of a journey two times over in the same time period I have been waiting to see the Cowboys win a playoff game.

Unless the injury report reads “Jason Witten—Out—Scurvy,” or Jason Garrett gets ambushed by a group of heathen tribesmen from the Philippines during his morning jog, I don’t want to hear it. 

 

Win a playoff game. Please.

Don’t get me wrong, I will be a loyal and dedicated Cowboys fan if this playoff drought lasts for another 50 years.

But 13 years ago, I would have balked at the notion that it was more difficult to assemble a 53-man roster capable of winning a playoff game than it would be to, say, fight in the French Revolution (10 years long), but empirical evidence seems to point to the contrary.

The Dallas Cowboys need to win a playoff game in 2009 to preserve the legacy that is threatening to slip away forever after over a decade of ignominy.

Until they do, I guess I’ll take up my time trying to conquer South America with an army of hamsters or something.

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Preseason Prgnostications, Part Three: The Outsiders

For the past two days, I’ve been telling you who is going to make the playoffs. I selected eight teams from each conference as likely candidates.

Today, we focus on the 16 teams I think are doomed. Some of these picks are obvious. The sporting world will be stunned if some of them make the postseason. Others are teams that have a shot but will likely end up short.

But take note, because in January I’ll check out how I did. Then you can throw rotten fruit at me for being wrong. Unless I’m right.

 

Atlanta Falcons: There’s a lot of talent in the ATL, and they’re looking to build on last season’s unexpected success. But the Falcons have never had two consecutive playoffs seasons. Ever. I’ve got to bet that way until they break the streak.

 

Baltimore Ravens: Of all the teams I left off the list, this was the hardest decision. The Ravens are sure to give people fits again this season, and it might seem insulting to say the AFC runner-up won’t make the playoffs. But Willie Anderson isn’t there to anchor the line this year, I suspect Joe Flacco will have a sophomore slump, and it’s been 10 years since Ray Lewis was a Super Bowl MVP. I know the guy’s been tough, but how much longer can he do this? I think Baltimore comes up a few short at the end of the season.

 

Buffalo Bills: Okay, this is pretty simple. If you fire one of your coaches before the season starts, you have a huge managerial problem. Seriously. How could Dick Jauron not know Turk Schonert wasn’t his man before training camp? You don’t win in the NFL with that kind of decision-making.

 

Cleveland Browns: The Browns got the Mangenius to run the show, but even he can’t resurrect this stinker in a single season. He’s got a quarterback controversy (that he shouldn’t have), his best receiver is in Tampa Bay, the defense has holes, and they don’t have a feature running back. Things might start to gel for the Browns late in the season, but it’ll be too late if they do.

 

Dallas Cowboys: I just don’t believe in these guys. There’s a lot of talent here, but the Cowboys find ways to let things slip away when it really matters. Maybe the loss of T.O. will be as good for them as it was for the Eagles, but I just don’t see them making the plays when the season is on the line.

 

Denver Broncos: A new head coach has to establish things are going to be different. However, alienating your franchise quarterback by trying to trade for a guy who hadn’t earned a starting job since high school before settling on a guy who couldn’t win the Bears’ top start doesn’t make for a winning combination. Remind me how this is better than Mike Shanahan’s two Super Bowl victories.

 

Detroit Lions: The Lions should win a few games this year. That’ll be progress. Matt Stafford’s in for a rocky ride.

 

Houston Texans: There’s a lot of talent on this team, and I like Gary Kubiak. But the Texans play in the toughest division in the league, and I just can’t bet on them until they prove it. Maybe this year they will, but I’m not holding my breath.

 

Kansas City Chiefs: Remember what I said about Buffalo? They have a lot a more talent than the Chiefs. Todd Haley’s first season at the helm is going to be painful.

 

Minnesota Vikings: Brad Childress has an awesome defense and the best running back in the league. All he needed was a franchise quarterback. Too bad he signed Brett Favre. Favre passed the playoffs away last year and the Super Bowl the year before. Opposing cornerbacks should be licking their chops.

 

New York Jets: Like the Browns, the Jets have a highly regarded new coach. They’ve also got a top-five draft pick at QB. Sanchez has shown some promise, but I don’t see him as the second coming of Dan Marino, who led the Dolphins to the Super Bowl his rookie season. It’s a steep learning curve in the NFL, and the AFC East is no place to try to make it in one season.

 

Oakland Raiders: This team is a train wreck. The coaches are punching each other’s lights out, they overpaid for their No. 1 draft pick, and there still doesn’t seem to be any sort of a plan. Al Davis is one of the greatest owners in NFL history, but he’s soiling his legacy. It’s time to step down, Al.

 

San Francisco 49ers: Frank Gore is a great runner, but he’s languishing in San Fran. The 49ers play in a weak division, so it’s possible they might make a run at the playoffs, but I still haven’t seen enough pieces in place to believe it’s going to happen.

 

St. Louis Rams: Like the Browns, the Rams have a new head coach with an excellent reputation. Like the Browns, St. Louis is a year away from being able to cash in on that pedigree.

 

Tampa Bay: Remember what I said about Buffalo and Kansas City? My opinion hasn’t changed. Raheem Morris might get a mulligan for being a rookie head coach, but it still isn’t going to get the Buccaneers to the playoffs.

 

Washington Redskins: I love Jim Zorn, but he’s got an owner who keeps throwing ridiculous contracts at guys who made their reputations elsewhere. Daniel Snyder keeps trying to buy a championship, but it just doesn’t work that way in the NFL. A high-priced free agent should complete the puzzle you built through the draft. Until Snyder proves he’s figured that out, I can’t make myself bet on the ’Skins.

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