Craig Heyward: A Man Called “Ironhead”

Writer’s Note: Craig Heyward would have been 43 on Sept. 26, 2009.

The name “Ironhead” Heyward used to invoke fear into the hearts of NFL defenders. Hell, Heyward used to invoke fear into the hearts of anyone who crossed his path, or him. This is how Len Pasquarelli from ESPN.com described Heyward:

“He was one of the toughest, nastiest SOBs that I have encountered in 28 years of covering the NFL, a man whose menacing scowl could seemingly strip paint from a wall, and who reveled in his own brute physicality and took glee from imposing his strength on others.”

But is that really all Craig “Ironhead” Heyward was about?

There is no doubt that Heyward relished the moniker he had been given at New Jersey’s Passaic High School (the same high school, incidentally, whose halls had been previously haunted by Jack “Call Me Assassin” Tatum).

Whether it was because of his eight-and-three-quarter-inch hat size or his propensity for using his head as a battering ram, it cannot be disputed that Heyward loved to spread the gospel of his “Ironhead.”

The 5’11” Heyward played at anywhere from 265-280 pounds, using his girth, power, and agility to overpower defenders while playing for the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt).

Heyward was deceptively fast and once challenged one of the Panthers’ wide receivers to a race in the 100-yard dash. Heyward accumulated such a lead that he turned around and ran the last five yards backwards!

For a big man, he could bust a move. One of his less famous nicknames was “The Fred Astaire of Football.”

In Pitt’s 1987 opener against BYU, Ironhead rushed for 133 yards, had two receptions for 66 yards, and threw a pass for a 17-yard touchdown, leading the Panthers to a 27-17 victory.

Once, on a screen pass, Heyward sprinted 40 yards down the sideline and leaped over a defensive back in the process. He later said he learned that move from Michael Jordan and labeled himself, “Air Iron.”

That first game was an early indicator of what kind of season Heyward would have. He rushed for 1,655 yards, had over 100 yards rushing in every regular season game, earned first-team AP All-America honors, and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

For his three-year career at Pitt, Heyward amassed 3,086 yards, good for third on Pitt’s all-time rushing list. He trails only Tony Dorsett (6,082) and Curvin Richards (3,192).

Then in a move which was deemed risky at the time and frowned upon by the NCAA, the NFL, and Pitt head football coach Mike Gottfried, Heyward announced he would not be returning for his senior year and would be declaring, as a junior, for the NFL draft.

At the time, the NFL had an arrangement with the NCAA that stated if a player still had eligibility left (Heyward had red-shirted as a sophomore), the player could not enter the NFL draft.

Gottried sent letters to Tex Schramm, Paul Brown, and Bill Walsh—all members of the competition committee—imploring them to keep Heyward out of the draft.

In the end, the NFL recanted, and both Heyward and Trevor Molini, the former Brigham Young University tight end, were granted eligibility for the NFL.

Letting his weight balloon to well over 300 pounds, Heyward was predicted to be drafted somewhere around the third round in the 1988 draft.

In one of many battles with his weight, Heyward hired a trainer and whipped himself into the best shape of his life and slimmed down to a svelte 250 pounds.

The New Orleans Saints subsequently drafted him as the 24th selection in the first round of the 1988 draft, embarking him on an eleven-year journey in the NFL.

Heyward would spend the first part of his career with the Saints, and then make stops with the Bears, Falcons, Rams, and Colts.

Although he was a decent running back, Heyward would not realize the same success in the NFL as he had in college as a rusher. He did, however, become known as a fierce blocker.

Saints’ president and general manager, Jim Finks, called Heyward the best blocking back in the league.

During an ESPN interview with Pasquarelli, Bobby Herbert, the Saints’ quarterback at the time, recalls a game in which Ironhead was used as a lead blocker against Seattle’s Brian Bosworth on six straight plays:

“After about the third time,” Hebert said, “Bosworth was crying. Honest. Tears were rolling down his face, because he didn’t want Ironhead to hit him anymore. He cried ‘Uncle!’ for real. Ironhead, he just laughed at him.”

But Ironhead’s undoing was his binging, both food and drink. He ballooned to 340 pounds. Then after five years, the Saints let him go, citing his lack of self-control during the offseason.

Heyward knew he was his own worst enemy.

He told Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated:

“I was an idiot. I was all about getting drunk. Man, we’d go out there and drink a case of beer and a couple of bottles of tequila. We’d be out there wilding. Then, at the end of the night, I’d go to one of those all-night places and have four or five of those big Polish sausage sandwiches.

“Get home at 4 or 5 in the morning and still have to be at practice at 8 a.m. I’d be at practice still drunk. I didn’t care. I wanted to be the big man.”

By the time Heyward landed with the Atlanta Falcons in 1994, he had realized his demons and begun to exorcise them. Not coincidentally, he had his best year with the Falcons in 1995, when he rushed for 1,083 yards.

Ironhead had successfully battled the NCAA, the NFL, his weight, and the bottle. Yet his fiercest battle was yet to be waged.

During his last NFL season with the Indianapolis Colts in 1998, Ironhead complained of blurred vision.

Doctors discovered a chordoma, a malignant brain tumor, at the base of Ironhead’s brain that was pressing on his optic nerve. After the initial surgery, Ironhead was pronounced cancer-free.

But as happens all too frequently with many types of cancer, the tumor returned. A subsequent operation failed to completely remove it and the tumor eventually entwined itself around Ironhead’s brain stem.

Ironhead suffered a stroke in March of 2005, which sentenced him to a wheel chair and left him partially blind.

On May 27, 2006, at the age of 39, Craig William “Ironhead” Heyward lost his seven-and-a-half year battle with cancer.

If a man is measured by how he faces adversity, then Heyward was truly a man without parallel.

Although he didn’t completely defeat cancer, he never let cancer completely defeat him.

When Ironhead was playing with the Chicago Bears, head coach Dave Wannstedt once fined him over $200,000 for failing to maintain his playing weight.

On Herbert’s final visit to Ironhead, the two discussed their eldest sons, both of whom were being heavily recruited by colleges around the nation for their football programs.

Ironhead’s son Cameron was, in fact, one of the most highly regarded defensive linemen in the country.

When Wannstedt, who was now the head coach at Pitt, phoned Heyward to convince him that his son should play for Craig’s alma mater, Heyward replied by telling Wannstedt that if he were to pay back the money he had fined him in 1993, he would see what he could do about getting Cameron to play for Pitt!

Even on his deathbed, Ironhead still had the sharp wit and sense of humor that made him more than just a human wrecking machine.

The people that were closest to Ironhead knew there was more to him than the intimidating, menacing, and fearful persona he projected on the field, and oftentimes off it.

Ironhead was goodhearted and made friends wherever he went with that ever present twinkle in his eyes.

While battling his own cancer, Ironhead spent countless hours visiting children stricken with brain cancer. While around children, the armor that surrounded Ironhead just seemed to melt away.

Fred Kalil, a local NBC sports director, and fellow cancer survivor, often accompanied Ironhead to see the children. He once told Pasquarelli:

“Just once, if you could see Ironhead when he’s around those kids…”

Truth be told, “the toughest SOB” loved kids, especially his own three boys.

After Ironhead’s stroke, Cameron transferred from Whitfield Academy, about 35 miles from their home in Atlanta, to a neighboring school, Peachtree Ridge, so his dad could watch him play.

Ironhead could often be seen patrolling the sidelines in his wheelchair rooting on Cameron and his team.

Cameron cared for his dad in those final days. Some of his favorite memories are having dad watch him play and then getting to see one another in the locker room after games.

He, of course, remembers his dad’s famous Zest Body Wash commercial.

But what he remembers most about his dad? That they were best friends.

His only regret is that his father did not get to see him play college ball.

Cameron is now a standout defensive lineman for Ohio State University.

Printed under each eye, in his eye black, are two words, one name—”Iron Head.”

---

Writer’s note: Blaine Spence is a supporter of “A Glove of Their Own.”

Please visit the site at www.agloveoftheirown.com and purchase the book under today’s donor code CVH113 Covenant House Foundation or RWF626 The Roy White Foundation, or any of the over 100 charities listed in the drop down menu, as $3.00 from each book sold will be donated to these wonderful charities, while an additional 30 cents will be used to purchase sporting equipment for underprivileged children.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Ravens Redux in New York: Titans To Face a Familiar Foe

Here we go again.

Another must-win game, another formidable foe for the Titans.

While Tennessee and the New York Jets don’t exactly share a storied rivalry steeped in bitterness, there are a couple of dubiously familiar faces that the Titans will see on the opposing sideline this weekend.  

Rex Ryan, the former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, is now the Jets’ head coach. He also brought along linebacker Bart Scott, a seven-year veteran from the Ravens who, incidentally, engaged in a war of words with Tennessee fullback Ahmard Hall this week.  

If familiarity breeds contempt, then Sunday’s matchup pitting these two teams together could be very well billed as a bona fide grudge match.  

To an extent, that has been the story line for Tennessee this season, with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans having had their share of battles with the Titans over the years.

But this Sunday’s game promises to take the animosity and competitiveness up a notch. Simply put, there is genuine disdain here. Granted, Titans coach Jeff Fisher might not harbor as much enmity with Ryan as he did with, say, Brian Billick or Bill Cowher.  

But the decade-long history between the two—Ryan was defensive line coach for the Ravens for years before he became the coordinator—is enough to merit the added intensity sure to be on display at the Meadowlands.  

Sure, the coaches will say all the right things to the media.  

“It’s between the teams on the field.”

“We’re gonna prepare for this one just like any other week.”

But you can bet that both are going to find a way to weave in some historical context to have their respective squads more amped than usual tomorrow.  

The good news for Titans fans is that in both losses this season, the offense has looked good against decent competition.

While the Jets and all of their fabled, “exotic blitz” glory look to fare better than merely “decent,” Tennessee presumably has the trump card: Chris Johnson.

The speedster has a penchant for making aggressive blitzing teams pay. Run-blitzing teams usually do better against more traditional running backs that aren’t quite as shifty and lightning quick. If New York can’t wrap him up properly, then rest assured all of the Rex Ryan hype will die down quickly, at least for a while.  

As far as passing goes, if Tennessee plays smart and executes, it will be productive. Of course, considering the disappointing arc of this season thus far, that is without a doubt one of the biggest “ifs” ever written.  

But perhaps the more intriguing matchup is the one getting less attention. How exactly will rookie phenom Mark Sanchez match up against a talented, hungry, and desperate Titans’ defense?

His play thus far has been stellar; suffice it to say he’s this year’s Joe Flacco/Matt Ryan. But he’s due for a rookie reality check. And that’s not sophomoric trash talk, either; it happens to all first-year quarterbacks, historically.  

“I’m very confident that that was a one-time deal; it won’t happen again,” linebacker Keith Bulluck told the media after the Houston game. “We were all embarrassed by it on the defensive side of the ball. We got it out of the way.”

Now, if the Titans can just get a win out of the way, they’ll be on the right track.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

I Got Five on It: Week 3 NFL Picks

 

Week 2 of the NFL season came and went as some teams continued to surprise (49ers, Jets) and some squads are surprisingly disappointing. (Titans, Panthers) Either way, the NFL season is off to a great start.

 

Cowboys vs. Panthers

This week in the NFC East features a few intriguing match-ups. First up is the game between the Cowboys and the Panthers. Dallas is coming off of a tough loss to the Giants on Sunday night as they racked up 251 rushing yards. Carolina continues to skid off the track as they were sent packing by the Falcons last week 28-20, falling to 0-2.

Both teams clash on Monday Night as the Panthers try to avoid a tough 0-3 start. Carolina and Dallas feature quarterbacks that are looking to bounce back from tough games. Panthers signal caller Jake Delhomme has had nothing short of a disastrous start to his season. Jake has a passer rating of 45.3 to go along with five picks and only one touchdown for the year.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo threw for a dismal 127 yards and three picks against the Giants last week. I’m sure Jason Garrett will try to get Romo into a rhythm early to shake the cobwebs off.

But the ‘Boys may miss a key part of their offense in Marion Barber as he’s nursing a strained quadriceps muscle.

Running backs Felix Jones and Tashard Choice will have to shoulder the load if Barber misses the game.

Even though the Panthers will try to claw and scratch their way out of a losing streak, the Cowboys running game will prove too much for the Panthers weak rush defense.

Look for a close battle, but Dallas pulls it out in the end 27-20.

 

Eagles vs. Chiefs

The Philadelphia Eagles were the sexy off-season pick to win the NFC East. How’s that working out so far after the Saints game?

Quarterback Donovan McNabb is still injured with a cracked rib and Kevin Kolb is well, umm, a serviceable back-up. The Eagles signed Jeff Garcia as a safety valve for McNabb and Kolb and Michael Vick isn’t quite ready for the bright lights.

So with a defense that’s left licking its wounds and an offense that needs to find a rhythm with Kolb, playing the Chiefs may be just what the doctor ordered.

Kansas City has started the season as many expected 0-2. Head Coach Todd Haley stated earlier this week that he’ll go with the quarterback that puts the team in the best position possible. So does that mean that $63 million dollar man Matt Cassel could be benched?

I doubt it, but it’s good theatre.

The Chiefs also have a suspect defense and a pedestrian running game so far, so I’m not expecting too much of a fight for the Eagles. Philadelphia wins this one 24-13.

 

New York vs. Tampa Bay

For me at least, this game does not have that much intrigue. The Giants are rolling at 2-0, their defense allowed 250 yards rushing against the Cowboys and they still won, and they found two receivers in Mario Manningham and Steve Smith.

What may concern G-Men fans is that the team will be without Justin Tuck on defense as he’s still suffering a strained shoulder.

I know and understand that any given Sunday any team may loose, but not this Sunday. The Giants have a ton of confidence heading into this week’s match-up against the Bucs and Tampa is still trying to find an identity.

The Bucs have a pretty decent running game in Cadillac Williams, Earnest Graham, and Ahmad Bradshaw. What’s lacking is continuity in the offense as the passing game is charged with bringing the team back late in games and their offense just isn’t built for that.

Look for the Bucs to make it a game late, but the Giants will win this one 35-21.

 

Redskins vs. Lions

The Redskins were booed un-mercifully last week against the Rams. Washington did win 9-7, but watching the game was worse than listening to a Chris Gaines album.

Quarterback Jason Campbell isn’t playing bad, but he’s not playing that well either. He’s sort of middle of the road right now and he’s not sure which way to turn. The offense is just plain offensive in its play and the defense is holding the team upright.

I’m not sure where to start with the Lions. Rookie quarterback coupled with rookie head coach has equaled no wins thus far this season. What better remedy for a team that needs a quick win than to play the Lions who just happen to be on an 18 game losing streak?

Nothing more to add for this game, Redskins take it 13-10.

 

I got five on…

 

Titans vs. Jets

The Titans are a disappointing 0-2 right now and the Jets are 2-0, who knew? Last season the Titans snuck up on a few teams on their way to an impressive 13-3 record.

Doesn’t seem as if that’s happening this season.

Rex Ryan and the New York Jets are playing like its mid-season. Two impressive wins with a rookie quarterback has made the league pay attention to the Jets.

But last year that distinction belonged to Tennessee and the Titans would like to notch their first win against the Jets this Sunday.

New York has a defense that swarms and comes from any and every angle possible. The Titans have a quarterback that’s, well, a little old and tends to stand in the pocket at times. Chris Johnson may be able to provide a protection for Collins because the Jets may be afraid of his speed.

But confidence means the world in the NFL and the Jets have it all right now.

Jets continue their winning ways against the Titans in a defensive battle 13-10.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week Three: My Three Wishes

1. Can we have proper injury reports again, please?

The outcome of the Favre/Jets injury saga seems to have been that every team is now listing every injury suffered by any of its players, no matter how minor. This means we are rapidly approaching the point where the injury report will run to 1696 players, with the odd coach, cheerleader and TV color man thrown in for good measure.

I know that this is considered heretical by the NFL, but injury reports become irrelevant if too many people are on them for too many minor things. Indeed, there’s an argument for saying that listing every last injury just makes it easier for teams to hide something more serious.

After all, if your QB has, say, a rib injury and you list him as also having a strained quad, the recovery time is potentially the same, but no opponent will know that a body shot is likely to cause him far more problems when he returns.

Of course, the injury report has always depended upon the unwritten hierarchy of players anyway. No-one really cares if certain players are on there or not. For example

Quarterback breaks fingernail (non-throwing hand) – TRAGEDY! DISASTER! CALL EVERY HAND SURGEON IN THE STATE AND BRING ME A TON OF COTTON WOOL!

Defensive lineman breaks leg – CALL RICHARD SEYMOUR’S AGENT

Punter contracts Ebola virus – NEXT!

 

2. Can we have the unreal Tony Romo back, please?

If the Tony Romo who buckles like cheap aluminum under pressure is the “real” Tony Romo, can we have the “unreal” one back? It’s no fun watching him struggle this early in the season and far more interesting when he does it in Week 15, the playoffs, or whenever.

In fact, it is almost worthwhile letting the Cowboys get to the Superbowl, just to give him a global stage on which to demonstrate his ability to pass to cornerbacks, linebackers, the referee, and anyone else without a star on their helmet.

 

3. Can the NFL grow up a bit, please?

I like it when players try and introduce a bit of fun into games. I’m on record as saying that the NFL has gone way too far in banning in-goal celebrations. But the past two weeks have seen the players going over the top.

We’ve had fines for wearing slogans on the soles of shoes, and for a player wearing a “Jason” mask. Neither of these things are even funny. If players want to be treated like grown ups, they need to demonstrate that they are grown ups.

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Why the Seattle Seahawks Are in Need of a Real Face Lift Going Forward

The Mike Holmgren era was arguably one of, if not the most, successful eras in Seahawks history.

Four straight division titles, five straight playoff appearances, one super bowl appearance and countless other player accolades.

Since 2005 when the Seahawks lost 21-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in super bowl 40 they Seahawks have steadily gone backwards and last year they took about two or three more steps back.

From that 53 man roster in the super bowl the Seahawks have lost the following players:

LG Steve Hutchinson, C Robbie Tobeck, RB Shaun Alexander, WR Darrell Jackson, WR Joe Jurevicius, TE Jeremy Stevens, WR Bobby Engram, RG Chris Gray, DE Bryce Fisher, DE Grant Wistrom, DT Chuck Darby, DT Rocky Bernard, S Michael Boulware, CB Andre Dyson, CB Kelly Herndon, LB Isaiah Kacyvenski, LB Niko Koutouvides, OL Floyd Womack, CB Jimmy Williams, FB Leonard Weaver, TE Keith Willis, RB Marquis Weeks, WR Peter Warrick, WR Taco Wallace, WR Jerheme Urban, DT Marcus  Tubbs, DE Joe Tafoya, DT Ronald Smith, LB Jamie Sharper, RB Josh Scobey, P Tom Rouen, CB Etric Pruitt, DE Robert Pollard, RB Maurice Morris, TE Itula Mili, DE Bryant McNeal, S Marquand Manuel, WR Maurice Mann, LB Cornelius Wortham, S Ken Hamlin, K Josh Brown and about 10 others.

Here is the entire super bowl roster.

The only players that are currently on the team that were also on the super bowl team are QB Matt Hasselbeck, S Jordan Babineaux, LB Leroy Hill, LB Lofa Tatupu, C Chris Spencer, LT Walter Jones, RT Sean Locklear, DT Craig Terrill, QB Seneca Wallace, and RT Ray Willis.

That’s it. Let’s put that into perspective. As of now they have 20 percent of the super bowl roster left which makes 80% of that team gone else ware.

And most of those players were key in the regular season and in the post season like Alexander and Hutch.

The Seahawks big mistake is that they have not replaced those players once they left. Rob Sims is not Steve Hutchinson and Julius Jones is not Shaun Alexander.

In 2005 the Seahawks were 13-3 they Seahawks have finished with 10 wins or less and injuries and lack of having a complete team have really hurt the Seahawks.

2006: Seahawks 9-7

2007: Seahawks 10-6 (Hasselbeck played all 16 games and made the pro bowl)

2008: Seahawks 4-12

2009 so far: 1-1

SO what does this say about the Seahawks? Well it shows that they really don’t have a solution for winning when they have injuries or when they lose players to free agency ala Shaun and Hutch.

Now the Seahawks have another problem currently as well as going forward. That’s finding and sustaining an identity for the entire team.

Like the Titans, Steelers, Ravens are all known as defensive teams and they start from the defense and then have the offense be the balance and put up the points needed but that the defense is their identity.

The Seahawks don’t have that “identity” because they are not an offensive team. They are mostly a defensive team but they don’t have all 11 defensive positions filled out that they could be called a defensive team.

However, this article is entitled “Why The Seahawks Are in Need Of a Real Face Lift Going Forward.”

What that means is they need to get the pieces soon to become that old super bowl contending team.

Now there is a difference between face lift and overhaul. The Seahawks are not in need of a overhaul or rebuild because for the most part they have the pieces they need but do need to fill the key positions which they lack at

Those positions being quarterback running back, wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line and safety.

Matt Hasselbeck is arguably the best quarterback in Seahawks history having led this team to its only super bowl but his glory days are behind him and they need to move on from the Matt Hasselbeck era as they did with Holmgren and Shaun Alexander.

The most likely scenario to fill the quarterback hole would be in the 2010 NFL draft with Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, or possibly Jevan Sneed but the two front runners would be Bradford and McCoy.

Now at running back the Seahawks haven’t really had an identity at running back since 2005 when Shaun Alexander won the NFL MVP.

They have tried Maurice Morris, Julius Jones and now have also added Edgerrin James to the backfield but none of those running backs can really be what the Seahawks need to be an explosive offense and that’s a back like Matt Forte or Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson.

The same scenario for running back, just like the quarterback is to draft one in the 2010 NFL draft with Jahvid Best being the best running back available to fit the Seahawks mold for a running back.

Wide receiver is really just getting rid of Deion Branch and putting rookie Deon Butler in his spot. They don’t really need another top notch wide out because of TJ Houshmandzadeh.

Offensive line will really depend on how the shifting will go throughout the season and also with injuries.

LT Walter Jones will most likely retire this off season so they will need someone to fill his shoes. Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell has tabbed RT Sean Locklear to become the future LT after Walter Jones retires and that is probably the best option.

Drafting a top OT would take away from drafting bigger needs like QB, RB, and S.

The only remaining hole on the Seahawks other than their poor luck in the injury department is at safety.

Right now the Seahawks have Jordan Babineaux and Deon Grant at FS and SS. A lot of people have said that the Seahawks should draft either Eric Berry or Taylor Mays.

Well if the Seahawks go with their draft motto and Berry returns to Tennessee then they can wait a year and draft a safety in 2011.

I like having Babineaux at FS but I think he needs a full season at the position before he can be judged. Most likely if the Seahawks pickup a safety it will be in the second round.

So to sum it up for the Seahawks. They will need to address the key positions at QB, RB and OL this off season before they should think about having a playoff run.

Here are a few draft scenarios for the Seahawks with their first three picks. Two first rounder’s and a second round pick.

Bradford/Best/Reshad Jones

McCoy/Best/Ras-I Dowling

Berry/Best/Max Hall

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Quick Hits (Sep. 26th)

Derrick Ward to Start Over Carnell Wiliams

This is awesome news for anyone who drafted Ward and was holding out hope that he’d start to get more carries. Congratulations, your wish has been granted.

Williams, owners, yours has not. As expected, Cadillac’s knee is acting up again, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the season, his immediate status, or his future in the league.

Let’s hope this is only a one-week set-back. That is, unless you own Ward.

Wes Welker Questionable, Randy Moss Added to Injury Report

Great, just like last week.

Except of course, now Moss owners have to worry about an injury taking Moss out of action like it did for Welker in Week 2. He practiced both on Wednesday and Thursday, though, so it’s up in the air if this is just time off, or an injury flaring up.

Both Joey Galloway and Julian Edelman (also now questionable) would benefit immensely from added looks with either Moss or Welker out.

Galloway caught his first five passes of the season with Welker out last week, while Edelman caught eight for 98 yards.

Clinton Portis Questionable, Should Play

The Redskins are saying he’ll play, and he’s just being limited as a precaution.

After a weak performance against the lowly Rams, the Skins’ need all the offensive firepower they can get to avoid being the first team to lose to Detroit in over a year.

Count on Portis starting and having a solid day.

Knowshon Moreno, Brandon Stokley Questionable For Sunday

Moreno is nursing a groin injury while Stokley is dealing with a thigh injury.

They both have been very active in Denver’s offense of late, and Stokley is Denver’s leading receiver, but they have late games and are expected to be game-time decisions.

You won’t cry over not starting Stokley this week, and if you can, find a safer alternative for Moreno.

LaDainian Tomlinson Ruled Out For Game With Dolphins

After the offense put on a show against a stout Ravens defense, Norv Turner probably feels fairly confident that Darren Sproles and company can get it done against an average Dolphins defense.

Don’t bank on Sproles being the guy to start here, though, as Philip Rivers could have a Peyton Manning-like game as the Colt had last Monday night.

Tomlinson should be ready to go in the Chargers next game after being able to completely rest his ankle for two straight games.

Dwayne Bowe Questionable For Sunday

Him and everybody else, it seems.

Like several other receivers across the league, Bowe is dealing with a sore hamstring, and is 50-50 to make Sunday’s contest with the Eagles.

Philly’s defense was burned by New Orleans last week, so there’s a chance for a break-out effort, and considering Scot Pioli always had his New England players listed as questionable before game-days, the media could be blowing this out of proportion.

Texans’ Kevin Walter Upgraded to Probable

He’s been dealing with a bad hamstring for two weeks now, and considering it’s just now getting better, he may not be a great play, even if he does start.

The Texans are facing a horrendous Jacksonville secondary, but Walter is too big of a risk to rely on for anything more than a Flex spot or a last-dash for a WR3.

If possible, wait for the hammy to be fully healed before you count on him to produce.

Pierre Thomas Probable, Mike Bell Out For Saints

Looking for more advice? Go here for more injury and status updates, as well as Start and Sit advice.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Seattle Seahawks’ Pre-Game Primer: Injuries Are a Bear

Well, almost a week later, it doesn’t look any better for the Seahawks.

As expected, they will be without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (broken rib), tackle Sean Locklear (ankle), cornerback Josh Wilson (ankle), and linebacker Leroy Hill (groin). Linebacker Lofa Tatupu (hamstring) and fullback Justin Griffith (sprained knee) also are very unlikely to play.

Left tackle Walter Jones (knee) will be a game-time decision, and cornerback Ken Lucas (groin) and defensive tackle Brandon Mebane (calf) also are questionable.

On the bright side, receivers Deion Branch (hamstring) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (back spasms) will be ready, center Chris Spencer (quadriceps) might start, and cornerback Travis Fisher (hamstring) is finally healthy.

 

Where to start?

 

Well, the defense is in deep trouble, with as many as five starters out. The Seahawks got a taste last week of what it’s like to play without Hill and Tatupu, and the result was over 200 rushing yards by Frank Gore. David Hawthorne will start in the middle this week, flanked by Will Herring and Aaron Curry. It’s a young group that has to play much better than it did in Week 2.

With the secondary missing two corners (Wilson and Marcus Trufant) and Lucas ailing, Kelly Jennings is the top corner. He seems to have improved quite a bit this year, and he will have to show it against the speedy Devin Hester and Johnny Knox. For once, size won’t be a big disadvantage for the 5-foot-9 Jennings. Hester is only 5-11, and Knox and Earl Bennett are each 6 feet.

With all of the injuries in the back seven, the D-line has to get pressure on Chicago QB Jay Cutler, or he will pick the secondary apart. The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t get much pressure on him last week (two sacks, four total hits), and he was very good (27 of 38 for 236 yards and two touchdowns).

Lawrence Jackson has been a very pleasant surprise early this season, with three sacks in the first two games. He, Patrick Kerney, and Darryl Tapp (who was great against St. Louis in Week 1) need to get pressure on Cutler.

Matt Forte is off to a slow start this season, and the Hawks have to make sure not to let him go off the way Gore did. It is all on the guys up front this week, and having Mebane would definitely help.

Realistically, the Bears figure to score three touchdowns against Seattle’s beleaguered defense, which means the Seahawk offense has to get it going.

The Bears’ fifth-ranked defense has injury problems, too, with star linebacker Brian Urlacher out for the season and linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee) out this week. End Alex Brown (ankle) also is questionable. The Seahawks have to take advantage and get the running game going after it was held to 66 yards on 23 carries in San Francisco.

Quarterback Seneca Wallace needs to put pressure on the Bears with his athleticism, and he needs to take a few shots deep. He throws an excellent deep ball, and the Hawks need to try to loosen up the defense for the running game by hitting one or two long passes. In that respect, Deon Butler could be a big key.

Wallace has had a week to get in sync with his receivers. Coming in cold last week, he hit starters Houshmandzadeh and Nate Burleson on just three of the 10 passes he threw their way. They have to connect more than that this week.

Wallace also needs to take great advantage of tight end John Carlson, who should win most battles against Chicago’s backup linebackers and be a big offensive key.

Three & out: Q&A

Three quick questions as the Hawks enter Week 3:

Q: If Jones can’t play, are the Seahawks doomed?

A: Brandon Frye played for almost three quarters last week and looked like he held up pretty well, so they might not be doomed. The Seahawks might have to give him help at times with fullback Owen Schmitt (starting for Griffith), and Wallace might have to use his feet to buy some time on occasion. The Seahawks would be smart to roll out Wallace a lot and give him the option of pass or run. The problem would come if Frye or right tackle Ray Willis got injured. The Seahawks have gambled big time by not signing an extra tackle for depth while Locklear is out. Then again, maybe they know Jones will play and are just not saying it.

Q: Will Justin Forsett get more playing time?

A: Only if the Seahawks fall behind like they did in San Francisco. He was one of the few bright spots against the 49ers, running for 35 yards on five carries and gaining 57 yards on six catches. But for now, coach Jim Mora said, the Hawks are going to stick to the 60-30-10 percent division of time among Julius Jones, Edgerrin James and Forsett. If the running game struggles badly in the first half, though, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Seahawks open it up in the second half. The Hawks really need to win this home game, and Mora needs to do whatever it takes.

Q: Are the Seahawks really going to wear those ugly neon green jerseys?

A: It sure looks like it. Let’s just hope they don’t play as bad as they look. We’re skeptical of this look, but we’ll reserve judgment until after the game. If the Hawks win big, they can wear whatever they want. If they play like they did in San Francisco, though, Seahawk fans next week probably will be listed on the injury report as questionable with eye injuries.

GAME-DAY STATS

**Despite their poor rushing numbers in Week 2, the Seahawks are ranked 13th in rushing offense. The Bears have had a much worse time, averaging just 65 yards per game (ranked 30th).

**Both teams are among the top-10 sackers through two games. The Seahawks have seven (two off the lead), and the Bears have six.

**The Bears have the fifth-ranked defense, giving up just 176.5 passing yards and 90.5 rushing yards per game. The Seahawks are ranked 12th despite giving up 166 rushing yards per game (they have held the Rams and 49ers to under 300 yards passing total).

**The last time these teams saw each other was in 2007, when Hasselbeck threw for 337 yards and two touchdowns and Kerney had three sacks in Seattle’s 30-23 win.

**If Kerney can duplicate that feat, the Hawks have a great chance to win. His teams are 10-2 when he has at least two sacks.

**Julius Jones and James put up back-to-back big games against the Bears in 2004. In a Monday night game in November, James ran for 204 yards for the Colts; on Thanksgiving three days later, Jones went over 150 yards with two touchdowns for Dallas.

**Carlson has scored in his past four home games, with five total touchdowns in that span.

 

For more on the Seahawks, plus NFL power rankings and weekly picks, go Outside The Press Box.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Cardinals Are the Perfect Matchup for the Colts

After the Colts’ showcased a miserable display of run defense against the Dolphins on Monday, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see that the Cardinals are favored in the Sunday night matchup.

Watching Miami have their way with the Colts’ defense must have Cardinal fans salivating at the possibility of what Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and company can do.

While the prospect of Warner and Peyton Manning battling it out will be great TV, I really like the Colts’ defense to bounce back this week.

The Colts are built to face teams like Arizona.

Let’s focus on the defense first.

How can a defense bounce back after the shellacking they took against the Dolphins?

The Colts will be facing a Cardinal team currently ranked 25th in the league in rushing. The Cardinals are averaging a mere 79 yards per game. They are a face first (then second, then third) offense and running the ball isn’t exactly their focus. When the Cardinals do run, they only get 3.5 yards per carry.

The Cardinals will live and die by the pass. That just happens to be the Colts’ defense’s specialty.

The Colts are leading the league in passing yards allowed. A 26 yard gain is the longest passing play the Colts have allowed so far, also best in the league, and they have yet to allow a touchdown pass.

All this, even with Tim Jennings involved.

Yes, I know the arguments against these facts.

The Colts play soft coverage. Defense backs seem to stay seven yards off their receivers. Jennings is usually somewhere in the next area code. But, the Colts don’t give up any big plays. Even with the cushion, the Colts are only allowing a 59 percent completion percentage.

Granted, the Colts have great stats because Jacksonville and Miami ran the ball. However, Jacksonville actually passed more than they ran, and Miami put the ball in the air 33 times. 61 passes have been thrown when the Colts defense is on the field, and they have only given up 278 yards.

That’s barely 4.5 yards an attempt.

Remember, this is a Colts’ passing defense that sent an NFL record for the lowest number of touchdown passes allowed: six. That’s less than one for every two games played.

Sure, they annoy you with their ability to play six yards off on third and five, but there’s no denying that the Colts play well against the pass.

Warner, Fitzgerald, and company may not have the field day you expect.

So, what about the Colts’ offense? How will it stack up to the Cardinals’ defense?

The Cardinals’ defense is currently fifth in rushing yards allowed. That’s a stout defense, and I’m sure the numbers will be just as good after the Colts’ game since the Colts simply don’t run the ball.

The Colts are 29th in the league in rushing. They don’t run the ball particularly well, but they also don’t try particularly often.

The Colts’ strength, like the Cardinals, is passing. The Colts are third in passing, and Manning is second in passer rating, only behind the Saints’ Drew Brees. Despite being 25th in attempts, the Colts are averaging nearly 300 yards per game passing.

Opposite them will be a Cardinal defense that gives up over 230 yards in the air per game, which gets them no better than 18th in the league. These mediocre stats were compiled against the aerial circuses of San Francisco and Jacksonville. Those aren’t exactly pass heavy teams.

Make no mistake about it, the Cardinals are a strong team, but their one weakness is going against the Colts’ strength.

While the casual NFL fan will tune in to see two of the league’s better passers dual it out, the teams’ fans will know this game will be won by whichever defense can slow the other’s passing attack down the most.

The Colts clearly have the edge there.

Now, if I could only convince Jennings the game is actually in Indianapolis…

 

 

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Week 3 Picks and Predictions: Dallas Cowboys: The Movie

Titans at Jets (-3)

 

A lot of people think this is a letdown week for the Jets, but I think its too obvious.  That will come later against an easier team like the Bills.  Also, how much do we know after two weeks.  Maybe Tennessee sucks, ever think of that?  I did.  Jets.

 

 

 

Jaguars at Texans (-3.5)

 

This line seems too low, right?  Three points for home field, so you’re saying these two teams are close to even?  Reary?  No friggin way, dude. 

 

The Texans look like they’re back and want to show their fans something this time out after the Jets game booahpalooza in week 1. 

 

I would say this might be a must-win for Jack Del Rio.  No matter how cool your name is, and how cool you look in a suit on the sidelines, at some point, people are going to realize that the team you coach is not winning football games and that you might be partly responsible.  Texans.

 

 

 

Chiefs at Eagles (-9):

 

Chiefs lose an ugly one last week while dominating statistically.  It’s like Herman Edwards never left.

 

Good thing the Eagles are home again, I don’t think the fans were done booing from last week.  But don’t worry, Andy Reid has added a new wrinkle to his overly complicated offense, four starting quarterbacks.  Brilliant.  Chiefs.

 

 

 

Browns at Ravens (-13):

 

Mangenious still keeps his name in Cleveland, but people say it like you call a guy who locks his keys in his car a genius.  Like, way to sort out the quarterback situation, Mangenious. 

 

This Ravens team is WAY overrated.  Everyone loves them, but they barely beat Kansas City at home, and got a garbage TD to cover, then they won a close game against a team coached by Norv Turner.  Who hasn’t? 

 

Plus their defense looks average to bad.  And here’s the kicker…Cleveland hates this Baltimore team, it’s the one that left Cleveland.  It is Cleveland.  And you said Cleveland sucks?  Consider your mind blown.  Browns.

 

 

 

Giants at Tampa Bay (+6.5):

 

Can we make Tampa Bay wear those ugly orange uniforms they wore in the 80s when they were the worst team in football?  Because they are orange-uniform bad again.

 

Giants are quietly feeling good about themselves after beating Tony Choko last week, but they remember what happened last year when they fell apart after their star wide receiver got in a feud with his thigh.  Well, they locked that guy up and the Giants are focused.  Giants.

 

 

 

Redskins at Lions (+6.5):

 

Worst win in recent years for the Skins.  I’ve seen Redskin fans happier after losses to Dallas than they were after beating the Rams last week. 

 

Weird reaction and its because they came to realization during that game that they’re not going anywhere this year and it’s gotta hurt.  Especially for the little boy who owns the team.

 

Detroit will win this year, but first they need to lose a couple of close ones, and that’s what happens here.  Lions.

 

 

 

Packers at Rams (+6.5):

 

Aaron Rodgers showed everyone last week why its tough to replace Favre.  Playing QB in the NFL is hard, and Favre made it look fun and easy in Green Bay.

 

Favre brought youthful excitement to the position and made everyone remember what it was like to play carefree like a kid.  Whereas Rodgers reminds everyone of Hobbes’ theory of life as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.” 

 

I haven’t seen the Rams play this year.  I never saw Paul Blart: Mall Cop either, but I know it sucked.  Packers.

 

 

 

49ers at Vikings (-6.5):

 

That’s a lot of points to give an undefeated Niners team.  Well, it’s a lot to give an undefeated team, not a lot to give a Niners team.

 

I think the Vikings could cover this game with Tavaris Jackson playing QB.   Unfortunately, they have Brett Favre starting.  For those of you who don’t know Favre, he’s like Tavaris but older, less mobile, and throws more picks.  49ers.

 

 

 

Falcons at Patriots (-4.5):

 

Darth Belicheck had to hide out in his lair after a frustrating defeat to the Jets last week.  Expect him to take out his frustrations on the college hometown hero, Matt Ryan.  Patriots.

 

 

 

Bears at Seahawks (+2.5):

 

Michael Jordan’s self-serving Hall of Fame induction speech reminded Chicago fans that they could embrace petty, self-righteous crybabies like Cutler.  Thanks, MJ.

 

Seattle is still buzzing since beating USC last week.  But the party may be over when they see Jim Mora on their sidelines. 

 

How did this guy get a head coaching job, I thought we banned the Mora family from the NFL.  Scary…does Bruce Coslet have a son?  Bears.

 

 

 

Saints at Bills (+6):

 

Can we all calm down about Drew Brees and the Saints offense?  And can we stop extrapolating how many touchdowns he’s going to throw based on two games?  It’s only two games, and one was against the Lions at home. 

 

Buffalo’s not bad, but it’s got to be tough to be a Bills fan.  You know they’re going 7-9 or 8-8.  Not good enough to make the playoffs, but not bad enough to get a quality draft pick.  Buffalo is purgatory.  Bills.

 

 

 

Dolphins at Chargers (-6):

 

Last week I actually heard an analyst say that he thought Pennington was starting to lose some of his zip on the ball.  Someone tell Alanis Morissette that’s the definition of ironic.

 

How happy do you think Tomlinson was when Sproles got stuffed at the end of the Ravens game?  Winning the Super Bowl happy, winning the lottery happy, or more like the spite happiness that Jennifer Aniston feels when Angelina gets horrible reviews?  You’re right, probably the latter.  Chargers.

 

 

 

Steelers at Bengals (+3.5):

 

Pittsburgh fans think they have the best player at every position, even kicker.  They always tell me that Reed can kick off grass in the elements better than anyone.  They may want to rethink that. 

 

Pittsburgh usually wins ugly and they lose ugly too, but I can’t see them losing two in a row.

 

Cincinnati should be 2-0 right now.  Wow, imagine that.  Now imagine them 1-2.  If you’re having trouble, just wait until Sunday.  Steelers.

 

 

 

Broncos at Raiders (+1.5):

 

Just a great start if you’re Broncos fan.  Yeah, you’re 2-0, but did you see Cutler struggling, and I heard some players hate him. 

 

Sometimes I get the feeling Bronco fans would rather see Cutler fail miserably than their team succeed.  And that’s why I love Bronco fans.

 

People love this Raiders team.  It just goes to show, a good outing on Monday night is magnified 10 times more than a good game on Sunday.  But don’t forget who plays QB,

His first name begins with a JaMarcus and his last name begins with a Russell.  Broncos.

 

 

 

Colts at Cardinals (-3):

 

Everybody and their grandmother will have the Colts/Over on Sunday night.  And why not, we all know Peyton likes the cameras.  By the way, the Oreo eating competition, a little played.  We get it, move on, you’re better than that.

 

Kurt Warner set a record for completion percentage in a game last week.  But I call BS, because they sat him in the third quarter and realized it was mistake as the Jaguars starting coming back.

 

Ted Williams didn’t sit out the doubleheader on the last game of the season when he had .400 locked up, but Warner sits out to break a record no one cares about. Weak. 

 

By the way, they’ll deny this is the reason he sat out, but what was the reason then?  To show us that Leinart still sucks?  We knew that.  Colts.

 

 

 

Panthers at Cowboys (-8.5):

 

Carolina still has a Jake Delhomme problem.  Also, defenses have finally figured out that all you have to do is cover Steve Smith aka the passing game, and Jake is screwed.  We’ll see if Wade Phillips realizes this.

 

Jerry Jones will finally get his first win in his expensive new toy.  And nobody will be watching.  And nobody will care.

 

Sorry Jerry, but bad things happen to egomaniacs.  Like, if this were a movie, Jones would definitely be the baddie and at the end he would get crushed by his giant 7-story big screen, right?  Wow, I’d pay to see that movie.  Cowboys.

 

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Seattle Seahawks-Chicago Bears: The Tough Part Continues

“It’s extremely unlikely Matt will play,” said Jim Mora.

Am I alone in asking, “is this really that bad?”

The Bears’ defense is one of the most aggressive in the league. Seneca is way more mobile than Hasselbeck. If Seneca makes the correct reads about when to run and when to pass, he could easily tire out this Bears defense.

Expect to see Knapp use this. I expect to see a lot of creativeness in this game. I believe Seneca will have a day tomorrow, I really do.

Let me put this way. He has to, because even at Quest, the Bears are the better team.

 

My Keys to the Game

1. Our Front Seven vs. Their Front Seven

In other words, dominate the trenches. Matt Forte cannot have a big day. The Bears have to be one-dimensional for us to win. I’d like to see Cutler in a lot of 3rd-and-9s with thousands of Hawk fans on their feet.

 

2. Olindo Mare’s Leg

This goes for Jon Ryan as well. If the Bears consistently have to start at their 20 or even farther back, it’ll be difficult to score with a loud Quest Field. Also, I can see a lot of our drives ending at the Chicago 20 or 30-yard lines. Mare has to be money splitting the uprights tomorrow.

 

3. Hit them first/ Dominate the play clock

Chicago will come in here still high off that victory against Pittsburgh. Whether we start on offense or defense, the Hawks need to deliver the first blow. After that, we need to use Seneca legs to dominate the play clock and not give Cutler the chance to make a last-second comeback.

 

Matchup to Watch: Jay Cutler vs. 12th Man

I don’t believe Jay has ever played in Seattle. I’m very interested how someone like him can handle the noise and confusion that goes on here.

Another one to watch is Seneca vs. a depleted linebacking core. Brian Urlacher and Pisa Tonoisama are out, and defensive lineman Alex Brown is questionable. John Carlson is looking like he might have a big game.

 

Prediction: Seahawks 17, Bears 16

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010