Addressing The Miami Dolphins’ QB Situation

As you may know by now, the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback Chad Pennington is out for the season because of a shoulder injury sustained against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. So, I feel like I should analyze the Dolphins’ “new” quarterback situation.

The most likely starter is quarterback Chad Henne, who played excellently in college for Michigan. Henne has a strong arm and has been studying under Pennington long enough to know what he needs to do. Hopefully with the added arm strength, Miami will be able to be more of a deep threat in the passing game.

When Pennington led the offense, Miami would only throw for short passes and gains. Their offense was very possession-oriented with no regard to a big gain. This offense was moderately successful, but it left too much room for error, simply because of the massive amount of plays they ran.

My hope is that offensive coordinator Dan Henning will alter our passing game philosophy to a more aggressive scheme. The run game is there, we just need a more potent passing offense to go with it.

One question is how Miami will incorporate Pat White. If they started White, then he would add a running threat that could be very dangerous for opposing defenses. White also has a stronger arm than Pennington, so that would be a plus.

With the very recent addition of Tyler Thigpen, the Dolphins have added more experience to the mix. I do not personally think that Thigpen should be starting because of the potential we have from Henne and White, but Thigpen is a good quarterback who would help the Dolphins a lot more than he would hurt them. So, I am glad that we got him.

While White, Henne, and also Thigpen will add more arm strength to Miami’s offense, there is no replacing Pennington’s accuracy. He leads the NFL in all-time completion percentage, and by “leads the NFL” I mean since the formation of the league.

The National Football League has never seen a more accurate passer than Pennington in its entire existence. That is pretty amazing. But, I am willing to give up that immaculate completion percentage for the more risky tactics that we will most likely have with Henne or White. It will definitely be more interesting to watch.

So, while Pennington’s injury may at first look like a curse, it could end up being a blessing because of the added deep pass threat we will get from our other quarterbacks.

Now, aside from all of this conservative thinking, what I would really love to see is Pat White as a starter. We already know about his great running skills, but a lot of people forget that he was still a great passer when he played for West Virginia. People just figure that because he runs so well he must be a mediocre passer, but he is really not. With White in, Miami would have a lot of dangerous threats in their offense that opposing defenses would have to worry about. It would be an amazing thing to watch.

No matter what I say, it all comes down to the coaches’ decision, though. We will just have to wait and see what happens. Hopefully Tony Sparano, Bill Parcells, Dan Henning, and whoever the other masterminds in Miami are that design everything can make this quarterback situation work out in the end.

I’ll just be along for the ride.

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For the Jaguars, Their History With the Titans Cuts Deep

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Browns, Panthers Face Quarterback Controversies Coming Out Of Week Three

After accumulating a combined 0-6 record, with their quarterbacks amassing three combined passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions, the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers find themselves in similar holes: at the bottom of their divisions.

Behind the poor play of Brady Quinn in Cleveland and Jake Delhomme in Carolina, neither team has gotten much going on offense. The Browns have only scored two touchdowns all year, and one wasn’t an offensive score: Josh Cribbs scored on a punt return in Week One. The Panthers have done slightly better, scoring four TDs, two on the legs of star running back DeAngelo Williams.

Both teams have had plenty of kicking success, with Cleveland’s Phil Dawson 4-for-4 in field goals and Carolina’s John Kasay 3-for-3, but teams don’t win games on strong kicking alone.

Cleveland coach Eric Mangini has already tried to shake things up, inserting Derek Anderson in the second half of last week’s 34-3 loss to Baltimore and naming him the starter for this week’s game against Cincinnati. While Anderson went a solid 11-for-19 for 92 yards against the Ravens, he also threw three interceptions.

Carolina coach John Fox continues to reiterate that Delhomme’s starting status is safe. Currently, the only other quarterbacks on the Panthers’ roster are A.J. Feeley and Matt Moore, neither of whom have done much in the NFL. Moore is 6-for-11 this season with an interception, and Feeley hasn’t seen game action since Dec. 12, 2007, when his Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Seattle Seahawks 28-24. In that game, Feeley was 19-for-42 with four interceptions.

Fans continue to call for the head of Delhomme in Carolina, and Anderson hasn’t shown signs of reverting to his 2007 form in Cleveland, putting both teams in a sticky situation. Regardless of each team’s strength in the backfield (Williams in Carolina and Jamal Lewis, when healthy, in Cleveland), neither team is going to dig itself out of the hole without better play under center.

It may be in either team’s interest to trade for a quarterback to try and get through the season. Regardless of the name status of Anderson and Quinn in Cleveland, neither quarterback appears to be as reliable as Mangini would hope. The Browns can’t switch between two mediocre quarterbacks and expect to win games.

Perhaps somebody should put a call in to the Minnesota Vikings, who currently have a quarterback surplus. With two former starters in the NFL, Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, backing up the ageless Brett Favre, it may be worth it for one of the teams to take a chance and try swinging a deal.

As for the other team? I know it’s been suggested by everybody else in the world, and not to sound like a broken record who can’t come up with his own suggestions, but Jeff Garcia is available…

Another quarterback who’s currently looking for work is Gus Frerotte, who went 8-3 as the Vikings’ starter last season, before going down with a back injury. One of those two, however, may end up heading to Oakland to replace the struggling JaMarcus Russell, whose 39.8 quarterback rating is worst in the NFL.

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Oakland’s Justin Miller Provides Double Edged Sword For Raiders’ Opponents

A healthy Justin Miller is as good as any return man in the league right now, on any team.

I was disappointed when I heard that he had been cut from the 53 man roster, but at the same time, I understood it.

At the time, Miller was suffering from a turf toe injury. While not many of us understand the complexities of the injury, we have seen firsthand what it did to Charles Woodson’s game when he was suffering from the injury.

John Bowie was placed on injured reserve today, which made room for Miller’s return to the roster. One can only hope he has been resting that toe injury, and it will not become problematic.

It was a cause for concern in the final preseason game, when Miller was outperformed by, ug, John Bowie.

Miller is a great young talent, with tremendous upside. He signed with the Raiders in week eight last season and managed to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in December. He won the award for special teams player of the month in December.

Miller is a dual threat for Oakland, whose defensive backs are dropping like flies in October. Miller was great his freshman year in college at Clemson, intercepting nine passes in 12 games.

He worked his way into the starting squad in week three of his freshman year. I know, I lived 10 minutes from Clemson at the time. I have followed his career closely right up until now.

Drafted by the New York Jets, he suffered a season-ending injury in ’07. He was on his way to establishing himself as a starting corner-back for New York at the time, and he was already an established return man.

Miller’s season-ending injury ended up being the end of the line in New York. In the 2008 draft, the Jets selected CB Darell Reevis in the first round. It turned out to be a great pick, and he was an instant starter.

Following Miller’s injury, Leon Washington took over as the Jets’ return man, and proved to be very effective as well.

Eight weeks into the ’08 season, Miller was cut to make room for Ty Law. It was at the same time that Oakland released DeAngelo Hall.

My cousin, who is a big time Jets fan, was quite displeased. He is a Miller fan, and does not like Ty Law. He blames Law, in part, for the Jets’ collapse at the end of last season.

I crossed my fingers as soon as he told me the news and low and behold, before I knew it, Miller was a Raider.

He really is a capable coverage man, in spite of that final preseason performance this year. We all already know he is a great return man.

Let me be the first to say, “WELCOME HOME, JUSTIN!!!”

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The Top Five Reasons Cleveland Browns Fans Are in Full Meltdown Mode

Cleveland fans are an interesting lot. We are fiercely loyal and completely unforgiving at the same time.

If a team and/or coach gives us something to believe in, we’ll latch onto them and elevate them to God-like status. Spit in our face or talk down to us, you have no chance. The offender may as well get out while the gettin’ is good.

The decision to start Derek Anderson over Brady Quinn elicited knee-jerk responses from the collective fan base. Of course, a lot of the decisions made by head coach Eric Mangini have elicited knee-jerk reactions from the fans.

The last week has been particularly drama-filled as the Browns were absolutely crushed by Baltimore in a game so devoid of passion from the Cleveland players, it’s created an onslaught of columns around the Internet about how bad a coach Mangini is, and whether or not the team quit.

But before anyone decides to call Cleveland fans “bad,” remember two things: This fan base is completely frustrated by the present situation due to the recent multiple failures of the past, and we see no hope in sight of this rudderless stink ending any time soon.

So here are five good reasons why Cleveland Browns fans already have gone into full meltdown mode.

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Still a Gem, Taylor Will Power New England In ’09

After missing the playoffs, there was a flurry of activity in Foxborough following the 2008 season.

Granted, star quarterback Tom Brady missed basically the entire season, but the Patriots clearly had work to do if they wanted to return to the top of the NFL in 2009.

Defensive backs, safeties, wide receivers, defensive linemen—almost every position on the field was either addressed through the draft, a trade, or in free agency.

Some relatively big names came in to the New England Patriots family this past offseason, including receiver Joey Galloway, cornerbacks Leigh Bodden and Shawn Springs, and Derrick Burgess from Oakland.

However, there was one guy that changed addresses over the offseason that will have a bigger impact on the fortunes of the New England Patriots than any of these other names will.

His name is Fred Taylor, and he is the Patriots’ best running back.

Now, this is not to say that Fred Taylor is not a big name. He has an outside shot at the Hall of Fame, is easily the best rusher in Jacksonville’s history, and is simply one of the best all around players that you can find in the NFL.

However, for whatever reason, when Jacksonville elected not to bring him back this season to make room for the explosive Maurice Jones-Drew (which was not necessarily a poor decision), it seemed like only two teams expressed any real interest; the Buffalo Bills and the Patriots.

The courtship did not last long.

It appeared as if he had his heart set on New England from the start as, soon after his visit with Buffalo was over, he signed a 2-year, $5 million contract with the Patriots.

For a player that, going into week 4 of this season, has 11,447 rushing yards, 4.6 yards per rush average, and 64 touchdowns in his career, that’s a pretty reasonable deal.

Not only is Taylor a quality back, but he is also a tremendous individual.

For a player to truly have a lasting impact on an organization and the fan base, he can’t simply play well, although that is a large part of equation. The player needs to have character as well, the kind of character that allows him to be a leader in the locker room and to connect with the fans.

Now, after spending his first 11 pro seasons in Jacksonville, it is unfair to expect Taylor to come in to New England and be a leader in the locker room and to have a strong connection with the fans right away, especially when the Patriots have so many guys that fit that mold already.

However, Taylor has all of those qualities. So, if he were to remain a Patriot long enough, he could possibly grow into that role.

In short, the Patriots are getting the total package with Taylor. He is a productive player who has all of the characteristics that a coach would want in a player, and he comes at a reasonable price as well.

That is hard to beat in today’s NFL.

At 33 years old, it is pretty unreasonable to expect that Taylor will be the feature back. If he were, he would wear down awfully quick, and would be of little use the second half of the season and the playoffs. Plus, New England consistently relies on the running back by committee approach.

However, that does not mean that his contribution cannot be significant.

As of today, New England has four backs on its active roster: Taylor, Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, and Kevin Faulk (Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis is also on New England’s roster, but he has yet to see the field, so he will be left out of this discussion for now). While each of these backs is certainly talented, they all have flaws, some more apparent than others.

Faulk, who has been a long time Patriot and is a fan favorite in Foxborough, is an excellent offensive option, and has been crucial to New England’s success over the years. However, at this stage in his career, he is best used as a third down back and as an option out of the backfield. He never really was suited for any kind of between the tackles running, and he is certainly not fit to start that kind of role now.

Maroney, who was drafted by Belichick several years ago to be the feature back that the team was looking for, hasn’t really panned out in the way that everybody had hoped. For one, he is incredibly injury prone. Secondly, as we have seen in the past, he tends to dance and move side to side rather than running north and south. It has decreased his effectiveness throughout his career, and has led to him being tagged with the ‘fragile’ label.

Morris is another solid back, one that runs more north and south than Maroney. However, like Maroney, Morris is also prone to the injury bug, and it always seems to crop up and bite him at least once during the course of the season.

That brings us to Taylor, the newest face in the backfield.

He cannot run the ball 21 times per week (like he did in week three against Atlanta) every week, but he can take the ball from Brady 10-12 times per game, and offer the best chance to grind out four or five yards every time he touches the ball.

Taking some of the carries out of the hands of Maroney and Morris a little bit also isn’t the worst thing in the world, as it will give them more time to rest up, hopefully preventing them from succumbing to further injuries.

Given the current state of the New England offense, with Brady still working his way back  from a knee injury and the passing game seeming a bit out of sync at the moment, a consistent, tough running game will be crucial to this offense if the Patriots want to go far.

By adding Taylor to the mix, New England has given itself a chance to produce that type of rushing attack.

He very well may be the best back in the group, and simply by being on the field he can raise the effectiveness of all the other backs around him, as they will all stay fresh and will, hopefully, be able to avoid injuries, allowing them to consistently remain on the field.

With so much potential for success, it is hard not to like Belichick’s signing of Taylor.

However, the proof is in the pudding, so we must ask what has Taylor done for the Patriots so far this season?

Up until their week three showdown with the Falcons, New England had not run the ball much at all, relying on Brady throwing the ball close to 50 times a week to power the offense.

With that in mind, it is a little difficult to fully grasp what Taylor’s true role will be going forward. However, we have been given a sampling of what Taylor can bring to the table.

After struggling in week one against Buffalo, the other team that was looking for Taylor’s services, Taylor was very effective in limited action against the New York Jets defense in week two.

He only rushed for 46 total yards, but it was only on eight attempts (that’s a 5.75 yards per rush average), and he looked effective when he was given the opportunity to run the ball. Had Taylor and his crew been given more of an opportunity to run the ball against the Jets, it is hard to believe that the offense would not have experienced more success than nine-point effort it put out against the Jets.

Taylor’s coming out party came about last weekend, when Atlanta rolled into town. In the first half, Maroney got hurt, thrusting Taylor into the feature back role.

How did he respond?

On 21 rushes, Taylor was able to amass 105 yards (5 yards per rush) and scored a touchdown, his second of the season (his first came against the Bills in week one).

Granted, the Atlanta defense is not exactly all world. They have their issues and were a decent, middle of the road defense coming into their game with the Patriots.

However, it is important to recognize that Taylor carried the offense on his back for a majority of the game last week. Don’t expect him to continue in the feature back role (as he’ll get worn out due to his age, as mentioned earlier), but it simply proves that Taylor still has what it takes to be a highly effective back in this league.

In an ideal situation, Maroney’s injury is not serious, and he and Taylor split carries out of the backfield, with Morris acting as the fullback and Faulk coming in during his usual third down, passing situation type scenario.

That way, Taylor will still get his 10 or so carries, giving him the opportunity to be an important part of the offensive game plan.

When used properly, Taylor is the best back on the Patriots active roster, and he is definitely the best new face on the Patriots this season.

The only way to properly prove this, however, is to look at the other new faces that have come into New England in 2009 and measure their contributions so far, and what they could potentially contribute in the coming weeks as the season progresses.

So far, while there have been some highlights, none of the other new members of the Patriots can quite stand up to the contribution that Taylor has made:

Joey Galloway: He could potentially make this passing game explosive, if he actually has anything left and if he and Brady can ever get on the same page. Unfortunately, neither of these things appears to be happening, as Galloway has looked very uncomfortable, and thus, very unhelpful when on the field. He could turn it around, but it does not look promising.

Chris Baker: The tight end was brought in order to help apply some pressure to incumbent starter Ben Watson. So far, he has looked solid (especially on his touchdown reception at the end of the game against Atlanta), but he has not had a major contribution yet, and, so far, nothing has happened to suggest that Watson is no longer the top tight end.

Leigh Bodden/Shawn Springs: These two cornerbacks were brought in to help shore up the New England secondary, something that the two have done pretty well to date. Other than Taylor, these two have clearly had the most positive impact on the team amongst the new faces.

Tully Banta-Cain: Brought back after a short stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Banta-Cain has proven to be reliable as a pass rusher and as a reserve outside linebacker. He hasn’t had a huge impact, however, and it will be interesting to see if his role expands as the season progresses.

Brandon McGowan: Never heard of him? Well learn his name, because, like Springs and Bodden, McGowan was brought in to help shore up the secondary. Despite his lack of name recognition, McGowan has done an impressive job so far in this young season, and if he continues to improve and develop, could end up being one of the better Belichick finds…ever.

The Rookies: Several rookies, including wideout Julian Edelman, defensive tackle Myron Pryor, and safety Patrick Chung, have all made some nice contributions so far this season (especially Edelman, who has been filling in at wide receiver for the injured Wes Welker, while attempting to change positions from quarterback, his natural position in college). However, none of them have had a major impact—yet. As everybody knows, things can change quickly, and if an injury opens up an opportunity for a rookie and he performs admirably, well, then he could suddenly jump to the top of these rankings.

Granted, it is early in the season, and, based on the small sample size of New England’s offense that we do have, it is difficult to precisely identify what Taylor’s specific role on the offense will be.

However, given the current state of the New England offense and given the kind of player and person that Fred Taylor is, he has an opportunity to become a vital cog not only on the field, but in the locker room as well.

Last week, he proved his worth, essentially carrying the Patriots offense throughout their encouraging 26-10 victory over Atlanta.

If he can fulfill his potential on this team and make the most out of every opportunity given to him by his teammates and the coaching staff, then, by season’s end, Fred Taylor will be the most important and significant addition to the New England Patriots roster in 2009.

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Julius Peppers: My Worst Nightmare Coming True in Carolina

Julius Peppers.

Where do I start? Where can I start? I’ll start at the beginning.

Peppers was John Fox’s first draft pick as head coach of the Carolina Panthers. The city of Charlotte, already excited about having George Seifert out of town and the prospects of Fox turning the franchise around, were ecstatic when then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced that the Panthers had selected the University of North Carolina’s own Julius Peppers with the second pick in the 2002 draft.

The love affair continued through Peppers’ spectacular rookie season. “Pep” tallied 36 tackles, 12 sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception on his way to earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He accomplished all of this in 12 games.

Peppers was suspended the for the last four games of the 2002 season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Peppers insisted that the reason for the positive test was linked to a diet supplement he was given by a friend, and Panthers fans—for the most part—believed him. As then-defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio said, “Julius wasn’t trying to beat the system, he’s a good kid who was a little naive.”

When Peppers’ numbers slacked off in 2003 it went largely unnoticed as the Panthers made their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.  Following the 2003 season, he recorded three straight 10-plus sack seasons while reaching the Pro Bowl in each of them. The Panthers experienced intermediate success and Peppers was considered the key cog in a defensive unit that was known as a decisive force around the NFL.

Then came the 2007 season. Peppers’ numbers diminished dramatically as he recorded only 2.5 sacks and 38 total tackles while, for all intents and purposes, completely disappearing. The local media, fans, national media, and even Peppers himself were all befuddled by the drop off. Was Peppers sick, hurt, or was he just lazy? Rumors swirled and people around Charlotte started to ride his back about his poor performance.

He missed the final two games of that season with a knee injury but the damage had already been done. The Panthers’ fan base, frustrated by a second straight season without a playoff appearance after making it to the NFC Championship game in 2005, began to question Peppers’ heart and determination. 

He was accused of taking plays off, not having his heart in the game, and quitting on the team. He was a popular topic entering the 2008 season—his contract year.  He turned down a long-term contract from the Panthers that would have made him the highest paid defensive player in the NFL, adding fuel to the fanbase’s fire. 

When the lights came on for the 2008 season, however, Peppers was back to his old form. He notched a career-high 14.5 sacks and was named to his fourth Pro Bowl.

Still, Peppers was the target of plenty of negativity from fans who insisted he was a slacker and that he was taking plays off.  His effort was questioned on a nearly week-to-week basis and it seemed as though any game that Peppers didn’t put up Pro Bowl numbers, he was the main topic of conversation for the week in between games.

When the Panthers were eliminated from the playoffs in January of 2008 by the Cardinals, things turned ugly for Peppers and Carolina.

Peppers made it clear that he was not interested in returning to the Carolina Panthers for the 2009 season and was hell bent on playing as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 system somewhere else. 

The Panthers’ decision to place the franchise tag on Peppers with their knowledge of his desire to go elsewhere is one of the most debated and heated topics in the history of this franchise. 

Signing Peppers to the franchise tender would mean that the team would owe him about $16.7 million for the 2009 season, or roughly $1 million per regular season game.

The Panthers decided that Peppers was too valuable to let him walk out of the door with no compensation, and handicapped their offseason flexibility by applying the franchise tag to him.

The Panthers, following a 12-4 season that saw their rushing game burst onto the national scene behind a very solid offensive line, watched as the depth that made that line what it was slowly disappeared. Players who were free agents realized that their services could be used elsewhere for more money than the Panthers could offer and took those opportunities. 

The organization was faced with a decision at the outset of the offseason to ink Peppers or Gross to a long term deal and franchise the other. Gross was much more receptive to the long term deal since Peppers was virtually uninterested, and the Panthers, rightly so, took that route.

To put Peppers’ franchise tag cost in perspective, he accounts for roughly one-eighth of the Panthers salary cap for their 53-man roster.

After being stuck with the franchise tag, Peppers refused to sign the tender. He demanded out of Carolina by whatever means necessary. Peppers went as far as to make a list of four teams that he would accept a trade to, a list that included the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys.

Neither the Patriots or the Cowboys, despite the rumor mill running rampant, ever made a serious offer for Peppers or displayed any real interest in acquiring the disgruntled defensive end.

Peppers was ripped to shreds in Charlotte through all of the possible outlets. You couldn’t mention the team without somebody offering their two cents about the situation.

I was on the side of the organization at the time. You can’t let a guy like Peppers walk out of the door with nothing but a lighter wallet. Especially not if he is planning on finding his way onto a roster of a team like Dallas, who is a contender (until December) year in and year out in the NFC, and a team the Panthers would see more often than an AFC team—the most likely destination in a trade.

In the end, Peppers reluctantly signed the franchise tender and declared that he was happy to be in Carolina for the 2009 season and that he was looking forward to building on last year’s success.

This is where the story goes from ugly to disgusting. And then from disgusting to sickening.

Peppers entered training camp as the hottest topic for the Panthers. He characteristically ignored the media most days and offered vanilla responses when he decided to speak. 

When the Panthers played poorly in their first couple of exhibition games, Peppers proclaimed that it was “just preseason” and that the team would be able to hit the switch when the regular season kicked off. 

As it stands while I write this, we are three weeks into the regular season and I, along with 99.9% of Panther Nation, have yet to see any switch hit. If it has been hit, I believe it’s time to call Duke Energy and pay the bill to get the power turned back on, because this team, particularly this defense, has looked like a junior varsity team thus far.

I could sit here and rip the entire team for their play so far this season, but I won’t.  I’m going to put the crosshairs right on their most expensive asset.

Julius Frazier Peppers.

For those of you who aren’t aware, I am a lifelong North Carolina Tar Heels fan and have been a fan of the Panthers since I knew what football meant. You can scroll through my article archive if you need an idea of how deep in my heart my ties to this team go.

I can remember watching Peppers play for the Tar Heels in college. I used to watch the games as a young kid with my dad, who would always point out No. 49 and his intensity.  He recorded the second-most sacks in Tar Heels history behind Lawrence Taylor—pretty elite company if you ask me. 

In the winter, when football was over with, Pep would suit up for the Tar Heels’ basketball team as a walk-on. Imagine the Incredible Hulk in a basketball uniform, and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what he looked like on the court. His enormous hands, rebounding ability, and thunderous dunks were just a few of the reasons that fans in Chapel Hill couldn’t wait for the mediocre football team (minus the 2001 Peach Bowl victory over Auburn) to finish up so that Peppers could come off the bench for the Heels. 

Peppers playing two sports—and playing them well—for the Tar Heels led me to actively cheer for him seven months out of every calendar year. From September to March, Peppers was a staple on the television set every week. 

Imagine my level of excitement when the Panthers drafted Peppers in 2002. My favorite Tar Heel was staying in North Carolina and playing for the hometown Panthers. It just doesn’t get any better.

For the last seven years, I have watched and pulled for Peppers twice as hard, being a self-admitted Tar Heel homer. When his numbers took a nose dive in 2007, I stood behind him. He had to have been sick or injured. As I can remember telling friends at the time, “He’s Julius Freakin’ Peppers, he just doesn’t have a season like this for no reason.”

I proved my point while watching him amass his career high in sacks last year, and defended him against those who called him out for taking plays off. I endured argument after argument about how Peppers was still the best defensive end in the league, and how he seems like he is lazy because he is double and triple teamed by every opponent the Panthers see.

The offseason drama leading up to this season was painful for me. You’re telling me that the guy who I have pulled for the hardest for the last ten years of my life wants out?  We aren’t good enough for him anymore? He can’t maximize his potential in Carolina?  He’s Tar Heel born and Tar Heel bred, and when he dies he’ll be Tar Heel dead…and you’re telling me he wants out?

Hard to accept.  But, as they say at least once a day in the wide world of sports, it is a business. If he needs to go elsewhere to be happy, then go. With that being said, I also couldn’t watch him walk away without the Panthers getting something in return. 

If I knew then what I know now, I would reverse my position completely. 

As a sports writer in any capacity whether it be for USA Today, ESPN, a local newspaper, or a blog site, it is common to have to sit at the table and eat a nice healthy plate of crow from time to time. 

I refuse to eat this plate.

Its not that I or anyone who has an opinion on the topic is wrong about Peppers, it’s that he just plum doesn’t care. 

Here is Julius Peppers’ situation in every day terms we can all understand.

Imagine yourself at your job. You feel like you are overqualified for the job you have, and want to move on to something bigger and better. Your boss tells you that he isn’t willing to let you go at the moment, but he’ll pay you $1 million dollars a week for the next 16 weeks and basically give you a chance to audition for any company in your field that would have a use for you in their organization.

I, for one, would bust my ass to make sure that I made a good enough impression on somebody I wanted to work for that they would offer my current boss a deal to acquire my services that he couldn’t refuse. 

Peppers played well on opening day. Five tackles, two pass deflections, a sack and a forced fumble were credited to Julius in the team’s ugly loss to the Eagles.

Peppers disappeared in Atlanta. He put virtually no pressure on Matt Ryan, he was owned on the offensive line, and he looked lost on several plays as the Panthers took another loss. Okay, a bad game. Happens all the time.

Monday night took the cake for me and completely changed my view on Peppers and his status here in Carolina. All week, and frankly since the schedule was released, it was a given that Peppers would go off in Dallas in front of Jerry Jones on Monday Night Football. Remember that Peppers included the Cowboys on his list of four teams he would accept a trade to in the offseason. Jones has been known to go after high priced, high risk players in the past and Peppers fits right into that mold.

I believe Peppers is still in Dallas, sitting in the locker room waiting for the game to start. I don’t believe that I watched Julius Peppers play on Monday night. I watched the shell of one of the most gifted athletes I have ever seen absolutely go through the motions as if the season were already over. 

Peppers was absent on short yardage situations, standing on the sideline with his helmet off looking like he was upset not to be on the field. In one of the few bright coaching moves by the Panthers so far this season, they took Peppers off the field in serious situations because he flat out didn’t look like he cared what happened one way or the other.

I saw Peppers on at least one occasion tag a Cowboys’ player with two hands on his way by him like he was running around his neighborhood where Mom’s call for dinner is the final whistle. I saw Peppers get blown up off the line of scrimmage, then release his engagement with the offensive lineman assigned to him and allow the guy to go block a linebacker, cornerback, or even a safety to pick up a couple of extra yards.

Julius, you have got to be kidding me. 

If you don’t pick it up, you’re going to be stuck in Carolina forever (or at least as long as Marty Hurney is here). If you really don’t want to play here, convince somebody else to give you a chance. Obviously nobody is sold on you or your natural talents because if they were, you wouldn’t be wearing the uniform you are disgracing. 

You are picking the wrong time in your career to be turning an indifferent cheek to the organization you are contractually tied to. For $1 million dollars a week, don’t you think you could at least pretend like you care?  Don’t you think you could at least fall down every now and then to make it look like you gave it a half-ass effort?

Would it kill you to show just a little bit of emotion, or to act like losing phases you?

What makes the situation worse for the Panthers is that they have Peppers teaching Everette Brown the ropes of the NFL. This is a kid we gave up our first round pick in 2010 for…in the second round.  He’s got a big enough hill to climb to earn approval in the eyes of the fans and pundits without having Peppers in his ear teaching him how to pout and act like a 230-plus pound baby.

Enough is enough, Pep. If this isn’t the most difficult thing I’ve written while covering the Panthers, it certainly doesn’t leave the top three. This goes deeper than the Panthers. Since I was 11 years old, I have looked up to you as one hell of an athlete, and a guy who is successful wherever you go.

Right now, I’m trying to figure out which jersey I should purchase to replace the No. 90 that I usually sport on my back each week.  In fact, I think I’ll mail it to you with a copy of this article.

Believe me, I would like nothing more than to sit in this exact spot and write a retraction of this piece at the end of the season, but I don’t see it in the cards. 

Pick it up, Pep…please, pick it up.

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NFL Draft Reflection: Five Months Later, Grading A.J. Smith

The NFL season is in full swing, and several rookies around the league are already starting to distinguish themselves from the pack in their inaugural campaigns.

A.J. Smith is known as a shrewd talent evaluator when it comes to the NFL Draft, but his recent hauls have not done much to support that belief. With the 2009 NFL Draft five months in the past (and rookies having already gotten three games under their belts), now is a good time for a preliminary examination of the Chargers’ 2009 draft picks and whether A.J. could have done any better based on the players available at the time.

Keep in mind that these rookies are only three games into their young careers, so it is far too early to label any single player a bust or a star. This is only an exercise in hindsight based on what we know so far.

 

First Round (16th Overall)

Actual Pick: Larry English, OLB (Northern Illinois)

Better Options: Michael Oher, OT (Ole Miss) or Rey Maualuga, ILB (USC)

Analysis: Shawne Merriman’s recent legal and health troubles give some validity to Smith’s pick of a pass-rushing outside linebacker in English, but he has been nearly invisible in the first three games of the season, only registering four tackles and not even getting close to any opposing quarterbacks.

At the same time, Oher (selected 23rd overall by the Baltimore Ravens) has positioned himself as an early Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate with his outstanding play anchoring the Ravens offensive line. He would have been a great option for a Chargers team that was weak along the right side of the offensive line even before the starting lineup was struck by the injury bug.

Many people thought Maualuga (38th, Cincinnati Bengals) would be the pick for the Chargers entering the Draft, yet he inexplicably fell to the second round, possibly due to some character issues (who can forget his little dance behind ESPN’s Erin Andrews during preseason warm-ups last year?). The Bengals must have been absolutely elated to see him fall all the way to them in the second round, especially after getting the equally talented Andre Smith with their top pick. He has been an enforcer in the middle of their linebacking crew, having already forced two fumbles while playing alongside his college teammate Keith Rivers to create a formidable young wrecking crew at linebacker.

Verdict: At this point in time, Oher or Maualuga would have been a much better choice in the first round than English.

 

Third Round (78th Overall)

Actual Pick: Louis Vasquez, OG (Texas Tech)

Analysis: So far, it looks like Smith hit this one right on the head. Everyone at Charger Park seems to be raving about this guy, and they believed in him enough to cut presumptive starter Kynan Forney to pave the way for him to enter the starting lineup. He has been struggling to stay healthy lately, but he has not shown anything yet to second-guess this pick compared to the rest of the board.

Verdict: So far, so good.

 

Fourth Round (113th Overall)

Actual Pick: Vaughn Martin, DE Western Ontario

Analysis: There has yet to be much production from the players drafted around the time of the 320-pound Martin, who is oozing with raw potential due to his limited experience in the game. If he can adjust to the level of play in the NFL, he could be a star, so this pick could remain the same in retrospect until further information is available.

Verdict: So far, so good.

 

Supplemental Fourth Round (133rd Overall)

Actual Pick: Tyronne Green, OG (Auburn)

Better Option: Duke Robinson, OG (Oklahoma) or Herman Johnson, OT (LSU)

Analysis: If the Chargers were looking to draft two offensive linemen, they could have had their pick of massive specimens in Robinson (163rd, Carolina Panthers) and Johnson (167th, Arizona Cardinals), who both would have been better choices than Green. On a team struggling to run the ball, either would have been a welcome addition, as they are both maulers who would help establish the running game in order to open up the field for the vertical passing game with Philip Rivers.

Verdict: Right position, wrong player.

 

Supplemental Fourth Round (134th Overall)

Actual Pick: Gartrell Johnson, RB (Colorado State)

Better Option: Johnny Knox, WR (Abilene Christian)

Analysis: This is a bit of a luxury pick, but it is just about time to give up on former first rounder Buster Davis, and Knox (140th, Chicago Bears) has been an early standout as quarterback Jay Cutler’s new favorite target (even over former college teammate Earl Bennett). With the Chargers becoming a pass-first team this year, Knox would have been another weapon to add to an already-potent offense. Plus, with Johnson having been picked up by the New York Giants after the Chargers tried to stash him on their practice squad, this pick could have been considered a true do-over.

Verdict: Swing and a miss.

 

Fifth Round (148th Overall)

Actual Pick: Brandon Hughes, CB (Oregon State)

Better Option: Myron Pryor, DT (Kentucky)

Analysis: Hughes is a talented player and an even better person (see my interview with him here) but he joins an already talented secondary stocked with three former first round picks in Quentin Jammer, Antonio Cromartie, and Antoine Cason. Because of this, he may struggle to see the field outside of on special teams any time soon. Pryor (207th, New England Patriots) is a big body who can play both defensive end and defensive tackle, and his versatility would have been extremely helpful after Jamal Williams went down with a season-ending triceps injury.

Verdict: Decent pick, but could have been better.

 

Sixth Round (189th Overall)

Actual Pick: Kevin Ellison, S (USC)

Analysis: There is no denying that the Chargers need help at safety, and Ellison is the kind of physical presence that could have a big impact in their secondary. He doesn’t have the best straight-line speed, but he has the instincts to be a starter on this team by the end of the season.

Verdict: Good pick. There wasn’t really any other option.

 

Seventh Round (224th Overall)

Actual Pick: Demetrius Byrd, WR (LSU)

Better Option: Rashad Jennings, RB (Liberty)

If he gets back to full health, there is no denying how great the pick of Byrd can turn out to be. Originally believed to be an early-round pick before his car accident just days before the draft, he was in the hospital when the Bolts pulled the trigger on him with their final pick. But due to depth issues this season, Jennings (250th, Jacksonville Jaguars) would have been a better pick. Jennings is a talented power back with enough speed to be a featured runner at this level once he adjusts to the level of competition, and would have been a good insurance policy in the likely event of another LaDainian Tomlinson injury.

Verdict: The jury is out until Byrd hits the field.

 

Overall, A.J. Smith gets a C- for this draft, although there is still plenty of time for this grade to change drastically one way or the other. These players are only three games into their young careers, and this rookie class in general has not had very many impact players this early in the season.

However, this draft seems similar to Smith’s drafts over the last few years, as he seems to be living more off of his reputation from previous drafts than building on it every single year. He may have had some major successes when it comes to the draft, but for every Shawne Merriman, there seems to be a Buster Davis as well.

Hindsight is 20-20, but remember that this is only an extremely preliminary ranking; only time will tell if this draft turns out to be “Lights Out” or a “Bust.”

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BREAKING: Michael Vick Signs Nike Deal

According to SportsBusiness Journal, Michael Vick has signed an endorsement deal with Nike.  The deal comes more than two years after Vick was originally dropped by Nike because of his now infamous involvement in Bad Newz Kennels.

Neither Vick’s camp nor Nike were willing to disclose terms, but we can probably assume that Vick is earning substantially less than he did when he signed as an NFL rookie in 2001.

I personally think Vick deserves the second chance he is getting, and as long as he continues to show remorse I don’t see anything wrong with him playing in the NFL, getting endorsements, and enjoying all the money and benefits that come along with it.  He knows he is on a short leash (no pun intended) and one misstep will almost certainly keep him out of football for life.

 

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Fantasy Football Week Four Rankings: Wide Receivers

There is a lot of star power missing from this week’s rankings, as the bye weeks officially begin. Members of the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles get to relax in front of their TVs this Sunday, so fantasy owners will have to do without the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Roddy White, Steve Smith, and DeSean Jackson. Hopefully, the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 3 Wide Receiver Rankings will help you decide on a suitable replacement.

1. Randy Moss (New England Patriots) vs. Baltimore

Moss leads the NFL with his 26 catches, and is fifth with 281 receiving yards. His 10 receptions last week were the second time this season he’s accumulated at least that many. This week he faces a Baltimore pass defense that is struggling somewhat, at least compared to what we’re all used to seeing. They are coming into this one 17th in the league in pass defense and have allowed four players to gain at least 70 receiving yards this year.
Point Projection: 19 points

2. Andre Johnson (Houston Texans) vs. Oakland

Oakland is a respectable 14th in the NFL in pass defense, but shouldn’t be able to slow Johnson, who is coming off a game where he had four catches for 84 yards. The Raiders have had trouble with bigger receivers in each of their first three games—Vincent Jackson had five catches for 56 yards and a score in week one, Dwayne Bowe put up identical numbers in week two, and last week Brandon Marshall had five receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Point Projection: 18 points

3. Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Seattle

In the Colts’ win in week three, Wayne had at least 125 yards and a touchdown for the second time this season, helping him to become the NFL’s leader in receiving yards. Jay Cutler tore apart the Seahawks last week for three touchdowns, so Peyton Manning should be able to do similar things this week.
Point Projection: 18 points

4. Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions) @ Chicago

Johnson has combined to catch 10 passes for exactly 100 yards the last two weeks, as Matthew Stafford is in the incubator stage of becoming a reliable starting quarterback in the National Football League. This week, though, Johnson goes to Chicago, a place he had great success last season. In week nine of 2008, Johnson had eight receptions for 94 yards and one score. Look for Megatron to finally put up the points you expected when you took him as your WR1.
Point Projection: 17 points

5. Greg Jennings (Green Bay Packers) @ Minnesota

Jennings’ opponents this week, the Vikings, are fourth in the NFL in passing defense, but they have yet to be truly tested, as they have not faced a passing offense ranked higher than 23rd. Jennings, after being shut out in week two, had just two catches last week, but still wound up with over 100 receiving yards. Last season, in two games against the Vikings, Jennings had a total of eight catches for 128 yards.
Point Projection: 17 points

6. Steve Smith (New York Giants) @ Kansas City

Smith is second in the NFL with 23 catches, and sixth with 277 receiving yards. He’s caught at least six passes and gained at least 60 yards in each of the Giants’ three games this season, which is a testament to his consistency, a word that fantasy owners love. This week he and the Giants go up against Kansas City, a team ranked 20th in passing, though they’d be much worse if not for going up against JaMarcus Russell in week two.
Point Projection: 17 points

7. Vincent Jackson (San Diego Chargers) @ Pittsburgh

Jackson is absolutely on fire through three games this season, as he is second in the NFL with 317 receiving yards. He’s put together two consecutive games of at least 120 receiving yards and has a better-than-you-think match-up against the Steelers this week. Pittsburgh is 15th in the NFL in pass defense, and has allowed four touchdown passes, which is tied for 16th in the league.
Point Projection: 17 points

8. Marques Colston (New Orleans Saints) vs. New York Jets

The Jets have bottled up elite receivers this year, holding both Andre Johnson and Randy Moss to 35 receiving yards or less. Colston also did not catch a touchdown pass in the Saints’ game against the Bills last week, the first time this season he’s failed to do so. While the Jets’ defense has been impressive, they will be scored upon in the air from time to time this season, and the Saints have the firepower to do just that this week.
Point Projection: 17 points

9. Jerricho Cotchery (New York Jets) @ New Orleans

Four different receivers have come up with at least 75 receiving yards against the Saints this season, who rank just 22nd against the pass. Cotchery, who grabbed his first touchdown last week, has not had a game with fewer than 87 receiving yards, so there’s a whole lot to like about this matchup.
Point Projection: 16 points

10. Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Cleveland

The Browns might be the single worst team in the NFL, which says a lot considering the likes of the Rams, Chiefs and Buccaneers’ woes. Ochocinco has found new life this season, but last week’s 54-yard effort was the least productive of his season so far. Still, the Browns have allowed at least eight fantasy points to a receiver in each of their first three games, and Ochocinco should easily top that.
Point Projection: 16 points

11. Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills) @ Miami

After not catching a pass for the first time in, well, a really long time, there’s absolutely no reason to rank Owens this high. That’s understood. So just call this one a hunch, a gut feel that you have to go with from time to time. Something just says that Owens will explode this week against the Dolphins, who have a poor (26th in NFL) pass defense.
Point Projection: 15 points

12. Santonio Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. San Diego

Holmes is fourth in the entire NFL with 30 targets so far this season. He did not have a good game on Sunday, catching just one pass, but that may have been due to a wrist injury more than anything else. The injury was not deemed significant last week, but check on his health status this week before employing him in your lineup.
Point Projection: 15 points

13. Brandon Marshall (Denver Broncos) vs. Dallas

Marshall finally broke through with his first touchdown of the season last week and, also, had season-highs of five catches and 67 yards. Those are the totals most fantasy owners have come to expect from him, and his numbers should only improve now that he’s more familiar with the offense. He has a solid matchup this week against a Dallas pass defense that is ranked 27th in the NFL.
Point Projection: 15 points

14. Devin Hester (Chicago Bears) vs. Detroit

Lost in the glow of Detroit’s win over the Redskins on Sunday was the fact that they gave up nearly 200 receiving yards and a touchdown to Santana Moss. The Lions have the third-worst pass defense in the NFL and have allowed a whopping 10 touchdown passes, which is three more than any other team in football. In two games against the Lions last year, Hester had eight catches for 108 yards and a score.
Point Projection: 15 points

15. Wes Welker (New England Patriots) vs. Baltimore **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Though Welker missed the Patriots’ game on Sunday, it is expected that he’ll be able to go this week against Baltimore. If so, he brings the short passing game into prominence for New England, which should help free up Randy Moss and lead to a solid day for both wide receivers.
Point Projection: 15 points

16. Mario Manningham (New York Giants) @ Kansas City

Manningham has stepped up in a big way so far this season, and though he didn’t catch a touchdown last week for the first time this year, he did have 55 receiving yards—the third consecutive game in which he’s amassed at least that many. He has a superb matchup this week against the Chiefs.
Point Projection: 14 points

17. Nate Burleson (Seattle Seahawks) @ Indianapolis

It doesn’t seem to matter who is at quarterback for Burleson this season, who looks like the team’s No. 1 wide out despite the presence of T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Burleson had nine receptions for 109 yards in week three and is third in the NFL with 33 targets this year, which my calculator says is exactly 11 targets per game. There’s no reason to think those looks will disintegrate this week.
Point Projection: 14 points

18. Mike Sims-Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Tennessee

Sims-Walker seems like the clear No. 1 receiver, even with Torry Holt in the lineup. He’s caught six passes in consecutive games, and last week, he racked up 81 receiving yards. His matchup against the Titans this week is juicy, as they are 29th in pass defense in the NFL and have allowed six different receivers to amass 70 or more receiving yards.
Point Projection: 13 points

19. Hines Ward (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. San Diego

Ward had four catches for 82 yards in the Steelers upset loss to the Bengals in week three. Still, he did not find pay dirt and has yet to do so in the season’s first three weeks. The Chargers have a solid pass defense, but Ward is past due for a trek into the end zone.
Point Projection: 13 points

20. T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Seattle Seahawks) @ Indianapolis

Houshmandzadeh has a difficult matchup against the Colts, who are 10th in the NFL in pass defense. It also seems that he has not been clicking so far this season in Seattle, as Housh has just 14 receptions for 145 yards and has not scored. He will find the end zone, however, and it will only help his cause if Matt Hasselbeck comes back.
Point Projection: 13 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 4 WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS, CLICK HERE!

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY KYLE SMITH.

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