Week Two NFL Power Rankings: Don’t Worry It’s Early

Power rankings are a funny thing, especially this early in the year.  We don’t really have a gage on how good the good teams are nor can we tell how bad the supposed good teams are. 

So the way I break it down, still 1-32, is into categories for each team.  Not so much power groupings, but more of categories of what I think we can expect to see from each team as the year goes on.

Also, I am taking this season thus far into account only.  So if you see some crazy stuff that you don’t agree with, remember we only have a small portion of the season to work with.

I will not make comments on every team, but I will give you one thing I want to see for every team.

On to our rankings:

For You Diehards, It’s Still Early

32. Cleveland Browns: A bad start to the Mangenius’ tenure.  First, I didn’t think they would be this bad on defense, as I thought they had the personal to at least get stops, but when your offense is as bad as the Browns offense has been, it is hard to stay fresh.

I am most interested to see how long the Quinn era lasts before Mangini pulls the plug.  I have the over/under at four.  I will take the under.

One thing I would like to see is James Davis get healthy and get a chance to run the ball.  While I am not a Clemson fan, I think he has the ability to be a good back in this league.

31. Detroit Lions: I am not a fan of putting a rookie quarterback behind a bad offensive line, and that is exactly what is going on up in Detroit.  I am pretty sure we have seen this before, oh yeah the Joey Harrington era.  Looked good on the touchdown drive against the Vikings, and that is about all I can say so far this year. As both the defense and offense are at the bottom of the league.

One thing I would like to see is Calvin Johnson get more balls thrown to him.  That guy is too good to just be getting 8 balls in two games.

30. St. Louis Rams: One thing I would like to see is Jason Smith get back and stay healthy.  A franchise left tackle was what got the Rams on the right track the last time.

29. Kansas City Chiefs: One thing I would like to see is Larry Johnson continue to run hard.  He has all the making of the next great back until he was run into the ground.  Hopefully he is healthy and is successful this year.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They didn’t just come out and say they were rebuilding, but they really didn’t need to.  The offense has been surprisingly effective lead by Byron Leftwich.  But the defense, the staple of the Bucs for about a decade, is abysmal.

One thing I would like to see is Derrick Brooks come back to the organization in some capacity.  He is has been a major player in Florida for more than 15 years and needs to be somewhere in that organization.

They Really Aren’t This Bad…Are They?

27. Carolina Panthers: Jake Delholmme looked better this week, and the pass defense is still dominate.  But they are giving up 168 rush yards per game, and need to find someone, anyone to help them stop the run.

One thing I would like to see is the Williams/Stewart combo to get more yards rushing per game.  I realize they were down in the first game, but they need to own the time of possession with those two in the backfield.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars: One thing I would like to see is Maurice Jones-Drew continue to develop into one of the top running backs in the league.  He is amazingly electric with the ball is in his hands.

25. Miami Dolphins: One thing I would like to see is the wildcat run more often.  Did you see how dominate the Dolphins were when running this at the Colts?

24. Tennessee Titans:  They definitely do not deserve to be this low right now, but they are 0-2 and even though one loss was to the Super Bowl champs, they are atrocious against the pass right now. On the bright side their offense has looked great, and Chris Johnson continues to become a special player.

One thing I would like to see is the defense get better against the pass.  I had hoped that Haynesworth’s departure would not affect the pass defense as much as it has.

A Bunch of Teams at 1-1

23. Oakland Raiders: One thing I would like to see is JaMarcus Russell become more consistent.  He has the arm strength and good footwork but seems to lack vision some times.

22. Buffalo Bills: I will be the first to say I have been pleasantly surprised by the Bills play.  That being said, I still do not buy into this team completely.  Fred Jackson, Trent Edwards and the rest of the offense have been good, but the defense…not so much.

One thing I would like to see is Fred Jackson to continue to get ample carries even when Marshawn Lynch comes back.

21.  Houston Texans:  I am not sure what to make of the Texans.  They beat a good Titans team, and lost to what seems like a good Jets team.  Matt Schaub has looked dynamite, but Steve Slaton has left something to be desired. And the defense, oh the defense.  I think Chris Johnson is still running.

One thing I would like to see is the running backs getting it going.  The offense is good and if the running game gets back to where it was last year, they will be tough to stop.

20.  Cincinnati Bengals: One thing I would like to see is Carson Palmer cutting down on the interceptions.  Both selfishly, he is one of my fantasy league quarterbacks and for the fact that they could be a good team if he can keep the turnovers down.

19.  Washington Redskins: One thing I would like to see is Jason Campbell and company score a touchdown on a long drive.  They have looked good on both sides of the ball, but only between the 20s on offense.

18. Seattle Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck’s injury plays a part in this low of a ranking, that and there is a lot of 1-1 teams out there.  If Hasselbeck can come back within a couple of weeks, I think the Seahawks can be ok, but we saw what happened last year.  Add in that they have a lot of injuries along the defensive side of the ball and this could get ugly again.

One thing I would like to see is a healthy Seahawks team.  As  a Cardinals fan I would like to see a team at full strength so if the Cards do win the division again, there are no excuses.

17.  Chicago Bears: One thing I would like to see is a WR step up and become a threat for Jay Cutler.  The Bears defense still has some life, even without their leader, but they will need a big boost from the offense and more specifically Matt Forte and a WR.

16. Arizona Cardinals: Looked better in week two, but still have a propensity to give up the big play on defense.  Run defense has looked incredible against two of the better backs in the NFL, and the running game seems to be improving.

One thing I would like to see is Chris “Beanie” Wells hold onto the ball.  The kid has amazing natural talent, but if he continues to put the ball on the turf, he is useless.

15. Philadelphia Eagles:  The Eagles looked great in week one, not so much in week two.  They need McNabb to be effective against good teams, or they may need to look to Garcia, maybe even, GULP, Mike Vick.  The defense was lit up by the best offense in the NFL, so I will not read too much into that, but I will pay a little more attention.

One thing I would like to see is McNabb back and healthy.  It is good for the NFL when all four teams in the NFC East are competitive, and I don’t know how competitive the Eagles can be without McNabb.

14.  Green Bay Packers: One thing I would like to see is BJ Raji get healthy.  He can be a dominate force on the inside of a 3-4 defense and really help his team get to the top.

13. Dallas Cowboys:  The disappointment from Sundays loss will be bitter.  That may not be a good thing for their next opponent, because this Cowboys team seems to be a little more level headed than previous ones.  Tony Romo needs to find a way to limit mistakes in big games and big moments. 

One thing I would like to see is the Cowboys defense step up and play up to what their offense is doing.

12. San Diego Chargers: One thing I would like to see is the Chargers defense come back to life.  Having all those weapons on offense is no good if they are unable to stop anybody.

11. New England Patriots:  Where to even start with the Patriots?  They seem to be out of sync both offensively and defensively.  Tom Brady has faced unrelenting pressure since Super Bowl 42 and has not been the great Tom Brady of old…yet.  The defense is what really concerns me, as I am not sure what to expect.

One thing I would like to see is the Patriots offense of old for just one or two games.  I don’t expect the dynamic offense of two years ago, but just show us something.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers: One thing I would like to see is the Steelers form any semblance of a running game.  They have not looked good running the ball the first two games and the Steelers need to run the ball to be the Steelers.

It’s Only Two Games, so They Deserve This Spot…For Now

9.  Denver Broncos: One thing I would like to see is Brandon Marshall become a dominate WR again.  I don’t know what it is going to take, but I believe Marshall has the talent to be a top 10 maybe even top five WR in this league.

8.  San Francisco 49ers:  The Niners have looked great defensively in their first two games.  They have really taken to Mike Singletary’s approach and have come to ready to lay the wood.  Offensively, well Frank Gore had an amazing game on Sunday, but looked human week one.  I think we can expect him to land somewhere in between.

One thing I would like to see is Glen Coffee get a couple more carriers a game.  I know that Frank Gore is the man, but he needs a break too, or else he may not be effective much longer.

On The Cusp

7.  New York Jets: One thing I would like to see is me have the stones to actually make the pick I wanted to in my preview.  I love this Jets team, I like the way they are built on both sides of the ball and I think that Sanchez could be a legit star.  I wanted to say this team would be a Wild Card team, but I chickened out, so far, and it is only two games, they look to be for real.

6.  Atlanta Falcons:  Tony Gonzalez has added a new dimension to an already potent Falcons attack and I am excited to see where it takes them.  The defense has looked good and if these two units can continue to grow together, they should improve on last year’s finish.

One thing I would like to see is Jerious Norwood healthy.  Turner has looked like he is a little worn down from last year, and Norwood would give the offense another piece and make them even more explosive.

The Fab Five

5.  Indianapolis Colts: One thing I would like to see is more of rookie Donald Brown.  He has looked good in his spot duty and should be worked into the offense a little more each week.

4.  Minnesota Vikings:  The Favre experiment has worked out nicely so far.  He is deferring well to the running game, and seems not to be forcing the ball too much.  Of course, he has yet to face any real competition and I want to see if old Favre comes out and starts flinging the ball around the field.

One thing I would like to see is how they play against some good competition.  They had an easy opening two weeks and getting San Francisco at home is still not a huge test.  I am really looking forward to week four when they take on Green Bay.

3.  Baltimore Ravens: One thing I want to see is if this offense can keep it up all year.  They lit up a bad Chiefs defense and the Chargers defense has not looked good at all this year.  The defense looks to be there still, so if  Joe Flacco and others can keep it up, this team could be special.

2. New Orleans Saints:  Sure they pounded a horrible Lions team, but the dismantling of the Philly D, in Philly was more than impressive.  This offense is amazing and the defense seems to have the ability to make plays in order to give that offense even more time on the field.  This team has all the makings of doing something great.

One thing I would like to see is the pass defense tighten up and more importantly see a significant pass rush.  The run defense has looked great, and they will be in a lot of shootouts with the offense they have, so improving the pass defense is a must.

1.  New York Giants: I know it is early, and I know the scope of the season is small, but this is the team I believe is the best in the NFC.  On top of that they have all of the makings to make another run to the Super Bowl.

One thing I would like to see is Brandon Jacobs get going again.  They need, much like the Steelers, to be able to run the ball as the season progresses in order to let their dominating defense have a chance to rest.

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Detroit Lions Need to Change Offensive Play Calling

The photo of Matthew Stafford says it all.  That is not a happy camper.

But Offensive Coordinator Scott Linehan should take a look at the game film but look at what the Vikings did offensively instead of what the Lions did.

They adjusted to the Lions defense.  They went with a short passing game that used bubble screens, quick slants and underneath routes. 

With the weapons the Lions have on offense such as Calvin Johnson and Dennis Northcut catching those quick slants, Brandon Pettigrew and Kevin Smith used on bubble screens and underneath routes, the pressure would be off Matthew Stafford to make the big plays down the field.

The Lions focus should be to get the ball into the play makers hands.  I would love to see CJ with 10-15 catches a game but with a ton of YAC (Yards After Catch). 

Brandon Pettigrew had a solid game but only four receptions.  He showed some toughness on one of those catches when he caught a screen pass and pretty much on his own got the first down.

Yeah, I know, Stafford has the big arm and Linehan’s offense likes to push down field.  But what really needs to be done right now is to worry about every 10 yards.  Move the chains.  Use your play makers and allow them to get your yardage. 

Sure, you have to take your shots down field.  But with this type of offense, you can pick and choose when to unleash that big arm and hit a 40- to 50-yarder to Johnson on a go-route or a post pattern.

Screen passes are a great extension of a running game.  If done properly, the running back has better opportunities to find creases on a screen pass than trying to run it up the gut all the time.  And it allows the offensive line to keep pushing out, get in space and clear some lanes.

Quick hitting pass plays will cut down on Stafford’s turnover ratio but increase his confidence.  It keeps the offense on the field longer and just wears a defense down.

Stafford does have the makings of becoming a great quarterback.  And regardless of any doubt people had of taking him over Sanchez, I really don’t think Sanchez would have fared any better with the Lions. 

The Lions biggest weakness is their defense.  Best way to mask that is to have clock killing drives with a low-risk short game.  Keep the opposing defense on the field for as long as possible.

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Jim Zorn Flops on While Redskins Nation Flounders in Anger

Did Jim Zorn get hold of the Denver Broncos’ playbook for 1983? Watching the Redskins struggle with the St. Louis Rams this past Sunday, it seems so.

While Washington barely won in spite of Zorn’s inept play calling, it was a victory so shallow that the most loyal of Redskins fans sent boos cascading down onto the field after the final gun. Hopefully, the reactions sunk into Zorn enough to understand where he is at.

The Redskins play in the NFC East, not the AFC West. The weak finesse style of play Zorn seems to want will not work in Washington’s division. The West Coast system may work in other divisions, but it has never produced a champion out of the rough NFC East.

This is a division known for being won by the strongest, not the prettiest. Though some of the mashers who became champions out of the division were deemed pretty by some after successes, usually the champion limps into the playoffs having battled some of the NFL’s best teams, which happen to reside in the NFC East as well.

The inadequacies of Zorn’s offensive philosophies shone brightest under the spotlight of scrutiny on the team’s final drive. As the Redskins clung to a 9-7 lead with the game clock winding down, they found themselves inside the Rams’ 10-yard line. It was first down and critical that the Redskins score a touchdown to put the game out of reach.

Zorn then resorted to calling a series of plays that were both ludicrous and baffling. The first play was an attempted shovel pass that was incomplete and was destined to go nowhere. Then it was fourth and less than a yard. Zorn decided to go for it.

Conventional wisdom would mandate either a sneak play from quarterback Jason Campbell or a run up the middle with running back Clinton Portis. Zorn elected to do neither. He called a sweep play with Portis that went nowhere and caused the Rams to acquire possession of the ball.

Luckily for Zorn, the Redskins defense held the Rams from moving the ball. The game ended in favor of the Redskins, though it was viewed unfavorably by many of their fans. Going into Detroit next week, they may find refuge on the opposing team’s field. Hopefully Zorn will also have left some pages of his playbook in Washington as well.

Many pundits of the NFL say that a head coach usually gets a pass in his first year on the job. Zorn is now entering his second season, and his offensive scheme is as ineffective as it was last year. If this season continues on as it has started, it would be hard to imagine him back for a third season.

NFL LUCUBRATIONS

The NFL Rules Committee is out of control. Last year we saw a defensive player getting a 15-yard penalty for hitting Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan as he was releasing the ball. The reason for it? Putting too much weight on the quarterback.

Most know the quarterback has had many rule changes since 1979 to make his job obscenely easy, but now it is quite clear that the NFL quarterback is no longer a football player. He has become a media image full of unworthy hype and adulation.

I guess now the powers that be decided to change the definition of a touchdown now. Last week saw rookie Louis Murphy catch a ball in the end zone. He came down with both feet and had full control of the football.

Murphy then landed on his elbow, which is considered down and makes it a dead ball—though that should not matter, because the ball itself is supposed to be dead once it crosses the goal line.

The thing was that Murphy then lost the football after crashing down to earth. The new rule states it is an incompletion, not a score. This is perhaps the dumbest new rule farted out of the bowels of the committee, though the new rule on only having two players form a wedge to block on kickoffs is pretty darn close as well.

When does enough become enough for this group trying to justify their paychecks? These rules all subtract from the game and prove that not all busybodies provide positive contributions.

Perhaps in these lean economical times it would be prudent to disband this insipid council for at least a decade so the players can play football with the little rules left that allow them to do so. This is not the NBA, though Paul Tagliabue tried to make it so.

 

My NFL Power Rankings After Week Two

1. New York Giants
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. New Orleans Saints
5. New York Jets
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
7. San Diego Chargers
8. Indianapolis Colts
9. Atlanta Falcons
10. New England Patriots
11. Houston Texans
12. Denver Broncos
13. Philadelphia Eagles
14. Chicago Bears
15. San Francisco 49ers
16. Tennessee Titans
17. Dallas Cowboys
18. Buffalo Bills
19. Arizona Cardinals
20. Oakland Raiders
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Green Bay Packers
23. Seattle Seahawks
24. Washington Redskins
25. Miami Dolphins
26. Jacksonville Jaguars
27. Carolina Panthers
28. Kansas City Chiefs
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
30. Detroit Lions
31. St. Louis Rams
32. Cleveland Browns

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Detroit Lions Notch First Winnable Game, First Disappointing Loss

Now you can be disappointed.

At the end of the first half against the Vikings, the Detroit Lions were in complete control of the football game. They were up 10-7, and the seven didn’t come until after the two-minute warning.

Final score: Vikings 27, Lions 13.  That’s something to be angry about.

Last week, at New Orleans? Not so much. That was a game the Lions were supposed to lose, and while they hung around, they never gave the impression they were a better team than the Saints.

That has since been confirmed, as the Saints went on to torch the Philadelphia Eagles, a trendy preseason Super Bowl pick, by a greater margin than they beat the Lions.

Against the Vikings, though, the team was different. The Lions were getting pressure on Brett Favre, stopping Adrian Peterson, and moving the ball with consistency on the ground. They were forcing turnovers. Matthew Stafford had his first career touchdown pass.

More importantly, they led for roughly half of the game. As in, they had more points on the board.

Lions fans have become accustomed to twisting stats to make themselves feel better about all the losses, but not often can they speak favorably about the one that counts.

And because of that, I’m not going to go on about all the things that went well. Don’t get me wrong, there were a bunch of them. But that’s not what I’m focused on.

I’m focused on the two Lions teams that showed up on Sunday. The first half team, which resembles the one Lions fans have been hoping to see for years; and the second half team, which Lions fans have seen for too long.

I’m used to seeing the team we saw in the second half. If that’s the team that had shown up for four quarters, I would focus on the bright spots and say we were just outgunned.

That’s what happened against the Saints. The Saints had too much raw talent in too many areas, and the Lions couldn’t match up.

That’s not what happened against the Vikings. If the Vikings were so superior that no game plan, no adjustments, no amount of execution could overcome the talent gap, the Lions wouldn’t have dominated the first 25 minutes of the game.

Instead, they showed the team they could be, then regressed to a 19th consecutive loss.

I’d rather they get blown out, wire-to-wire. Because losing by 40, at least there’s no rollercoaster. After a quarter or two, it’s easy to see which way the game is going, and hey, it’s not like we’re not used to it.

But the way the Lions played Sunday? All it shows is that the team is capable of winning games, it just isn’t doing it.

That, Lions fans, is something to be disappointed about.

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Michael Crabtree Is Tampered Goods

Michael Crabtree, because he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, is exclusively to negotiate with the Niners. The Jets (allegedly) are not a fan of this policy.

This seems extremely unlikely. If it happened, the Jets are officially the dumbest organization in football (other than the Raiders, which I believe is a given).

Connect the dots with me. The Jets are a fan of Crabtree’s. The 49ers and him are not coming to an agreement, so the Jets express an interest in trading for his rights and signing him. No problem here.

Reports are, however, that the Jets talked with Crabtree and tried to woo him. This just doesn’t make sense on any level. It is up to the 49ers to trade him, Crabtree does not have an official say.

I guess the goal would be that Crabtree’s camp pushes for a trade with the Jets. I don’t know why the Jets would think that would work. Clearly Crabtree’s crew hasn’t convinced the 49ers to do anything they want them to do so far. Why would it change with this trade?

So the Jets try to convince a player to have his team trade him when the player can’t even convince the team that drafted him in the FIRST ROUND to sign him seems unlikely. If it is true, the New York Jets would be proven to be the NFL’s intellectual equilivant of a Bret Michaels reality show slu… contestant.

Again, I find this incredibly hard to believe. Why would the Jets break the rules, taking a high profile risk, to tamper with a player that has little say in his own future.

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Week Two NFL Spread: Winners and Losers/ Week Three Picks By NFL Mikee

Week two had surprises and upsets in the league as teams settled into the season, both on the road and at home.

Let’s break down the point spreads and make some good decisions again this week.

After the first week of 7-9, I expected an improvement and got a small one. This week I am at 8-7 against the line with Miami on Monday night getting three points.

The big game of the week was the Jets coming out party, smoking the Patriots as planned 16-9. One loss for me there, as I had the Pats.

This week the Jets have Tennessee at home and are favored by two and a half. Tennessee is desperate for a win at 0-2, and the Jets will have a natural let down after that big win.

I will go against the grain in this one and take the two and a half points and Tennessee.

Meanwhile, New England must deal with the high powered offense of the Atlanta Falcons. New England is favored by four, and I have to take my NFC Super Bowl pick, the Falcons.

Green Bay, after a stunning loss to the Bengals, will try to regroup against the Rams. This should be a good team to regroup against. The Packers are favored by six and a half, which should be feasible. Go with the Packers.

Washington beat the Rams 9-7 last week, and this is the reason I’m taking Detroit to win this game at home. Detroit played alright against New Orleans in week one, and Adrian Peterson can beat anyone, as we saw in week one and two.

Detroit gets six and a half points, and I will take the Lions with that many points. I think they can win this game outright. 

Minnesota, who is 2-0 have the 49ers in the Metrodome. I will take the Niners to keep this one close, as I am getting seven points.

Philadelphia is at home against Kansas City and the points are not out at press time. Just take the Eagles, whatever the spread is. This may be a shutout by the Eagles’ defense.

The Giants go to Tampa Bay and will hand them a third loss in this young season. The Giants will make few mistakes and win by more than seven.

The Ravens are at home after a big win in San Diego. This game is kind of tough, as I think 13 points, may be a bit high. I will look for Brady Quinn to keep this game a little closer than expected. Look for Cleveland to wake up a bit in week three.

Houston is home, taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Houston will cover this four points with more offense by Schaub and company. That was a gritty win in Tennessee last week.

New Orleans travels to Buffalo and it’s not cold enough yet to bother this offense of New Orleans. I predict another 40 points by Drew Brees, and maybe 28 by Buffalo. New Orleans is only favored by four and a half. Huh?

Chicago goes into Seattle as a one point favorite, and this is not a problem, with Jay Cutler’s first visit to the west coast as a Bear. Take the Bears.

Pittsburgh rolls into Cincinnati with a chip on their shoulder. Pittsburgh is favored by four and a half. I, for one would not take the Bengals.

The Raiders are favored over Denver by two and a half points in Oakland. There is a reason for this. Take the home team in this one.

San Diego hosts the Miami Dolphins and should be favored by about five points. We shall see this line on Wednesday or Thursday, and I like San Diego not to lose two in a row at home.

Arizona is home against Indianapolis after a record breaking performance by Kurt Warner last week, going 24 for 26 passing. I like Arizona up to 5-6 points.

Monday night gets us back to Dallas for another 105,000 people getting charged 40 dollars for a cheese pizza, unless you’re in a suite, in which then the pizza is 100 dollars.

This is a 10 inch pizza for 100 dollars. With only cheese, no toppings. How much are toppings, I wonder?

This overshadows the fact that this is not as big a game as last week, so Tony Romo will win this one. Dallas by 10 points. Carolina is having a horrible confidence problem after that playoff loss at home last season.

There you have it and good luck to all your teams.

I am at 15-16 against the line this season and have the Dolphins tonight.

Thomas [NFL Mikee] Moreland 

 

 

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On The Fringe: Tony Romo

Tony Romo should be called Mr. September. 

Eight wins, one loss in month No. 9 over No. 9’s career.

Until Sunday, that is.

8-2.

Still, incredible statistics. This is what Romo gets paid for. To win.

He has done a reasonably good job at that. Winning. That is, in the regular season. Lost the one time he made the playoffs, but that isn’t the point.

Wait, yes it is.

I wrote an article about Romo being “Gone” in 2010, and at this rate it could become reality. If there is anything in the NFL that matters it is consistency. Lack thereof leads to lacking a team, and then beginning flipping burgers. Remember Tim Couch? 

A bit harsh comparing Romo to Couch, but let’s look at this rationally.

Couch had an ordinary first season, but you wouldn’t know it if you watched him against the Saints. He threw a deep bomb for a TD in the closing seconds.

Then in 2002, he and the Browns went 9-7 and did pretty well. He then went downhill after that.

Today he watches football from his couch (no pun intended).

You know why? He was inconsistent.

You know who else is inconsistent?

Romo.

Back to my Mr. September point…Romo has done extraordinarily well when there was no pressure. The Giants game on Sunday was perhaps the most hyped thing on ESPN and NFLNetwork I have seen since the Super Bowl. 

Pressure.

He threw 353 yards and three TD’s in week one.

Pressure.

So the pressure has accumulated and then it was Sunday. One TD and three picks. Kevin Kolb (if you’ve never heard of him, it’s understandable) did better than Romo. 

Now, you can argue that the Saints’ defense isn’t the Giants’ and you can argue that the Giants were playing the pass more heavily than the run (they were). Then why on Earth did Jason Garret give the ball to Romo? 

That was a mistake on Garret’s part. But it shouldn’t have to come to keeping the ball in the running back’s hands just to stop turnovers. Romo should have done better, and so should have Garret.

This kind of play is what gets players cut.

Yeah it is early in the season, but is this an early glimpse for later on? When the pressure builds up?

I don’t know.

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The 2008 Ravens Offseason: Four Selections that Changed Everything

For the Baltimore Ravens, 2008 was meant to be a rebuilding year. It was supposed to year in which rookie quarterback Joe Flacco got his feet wet, and unlike 2003 Ravens first round pick Kyle Boller, learn from it. It was supposed to be a year where offensive coordinator Cam Cameron begin to develop him like he did Drew Brees and Philip Rivers when Cameron was the “OC” for the San Diego Chargers. The Ravens could expect improvement, but not much more.

In fact, how hard would it be to improve upon the Ravens dreadful year in 2007, in which they went 5-11, and finished near the bottom in every offensive category?

Team GM Ozzie Newsome, a Hall of Fame tight end, has been very successful in his career as an executive when he’s needed to reload the team, and soon after the season, he fired head coach Brian Billick, which was a tough—but needed—move. Billick was the head coach in Baltimore from 1999 to 2007, and while it was very up-and-down, he won a Super Bowl, had a solid 80-64 record, and developed a strong relationship with the players. Even kicker Matt Stover, a classy guy who has been very loyal to the organization, didn’t back the move 100 percent.

“I’m not saying I agree with it,” Stover said, “but sometimes things have to change.” It was needed because the Ravens, who won 13 games in 2006—all because of defense—won just five in 2007—the biggest win differential for any team in the NFL that year. After 19 days of searching, the Ravens had a choice between two. They could either pick John Harbaugh, an Eagles special teams coordinator, or Jason Garrett, the Cowboys offensive coordinator. After Garrett turned down the Ravens offer, Newsome went with Harbaugh, who sounded delighted to have the job.

“Up, down, sideways, from the very top, it’s a very impressive place to visit,” Harbaugh said. “I knew the Ravens had a great organization. Now, I see why. Good people, from Ozzie and Steve to everybody in the organization. It’s been challenging, but it has been fun.” Harbaugh earned a head coaching job, which is certainly an honor, but he would be one busy man for the rest of the offseason. First of all, after the disheartening 2007 season, the Ravens cleaned house.

Both Steve McNair and Jonathan Ogden retired, while Baltimore’s staff decided to let go of almost every coach, electing to keep assistants like defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and tight ends coach Wade Harman, but not much more. Harbaugh hired many new assistants, including Cam Cameron, whom he appointed offensive coordinator.

Cameron has long been considered one of the finest quarterback developers in the league. In San Diego, he brought up Drew Brees and Philip Rivers, who are both top five quarterbacks in this league. With a clumsy quarterback situation, the Ravens would need a guy like Cam. “We’re excited to get Cam, because he’s a fine coach and a good person,” Harbaugh said in a statement. “He had other options. We’re going to be tough, we’re going to be exciting, we’re going to be disciplined, and we’re going to play really hard. If we do those things on offense, and we take care of one another, good things will happen.”

But to develop a quarterback, the Ravens had to get someone who had the chance to be a special player. The two quarterbacks on the roster at the time were Kyle Boller, a true bust, and Troy Smith, a guy who was a backup, at best. So, on draft day 2008, the Ravens traded down—then back up—to select Delaware’s Joe Flacco, who threw for 4,263 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions as a senior. Of course, it wasn’t top-notch competition, but Harbaugh was convinced Flacco could handle it.

“All quarterbacks have to make a jump from college football,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a tough jump, and that’s been proven. When you get to know Joe, you’ll find that this guy feels like he has something to prove. He’s a very competitive guy. He’s a leader. . . . We’re satisfied that he’s got the personality to be a real good quarterback.” Scouting director Eric DeCosta referenced both Kurt Warner and Tony Romo when talking about small-school quarterbacks who had to make the jump—and made it quite well, at that.

But the Ravens added one more offensive weapon in the draft. With the 55th overall pick, the Ravens added some depth to their backfield, drafting Rutgers’ halfback Ray Rice. Rice set records at Rutgers, running for a school record 4,926 yards, but he didn’t get drafted high because of his size. At 5’8″, 205, many scouts worried about durability. But there are many small backs in the NFL, like Maurice Jones-Drew (5’7″), DeAngelo Williams (5’9″), and Frank Gore (5’9″), who have succeeded, and Rice doesn’t worry about durability question marks.

“I came from an offense where I got the ball 30 times [per game],” said Rice. “I’m a feel-the-defense-out type of a guy.” Joe Flacco loves having Rice in the backfield to toss a screen or hand the ball off for a nice change of pace. “Ray did a great job for us last year and he’s going to be a huge threat out of the backfield,” the quarterback said. “You get the ball to Ray and he’s going to make a lot out of it. We’re excited to have him healthy and ready to go all season.”

It’s very ironic, really. Only one—maybe two—of these moves were accepted by Ravens fans. Joe Flacco was considered a huge reach and an unknown quarterback prospect. Most Baltimore faithful wanted Boston College’s Matt Ryan, who was picked third by the Falcons. Harbaugh was a nobody before getting hired. Most wanted Garrett, who was the mastermind of a Dallas offense that made some major noise in 2007. Cameron was—and still is—a great offensive coordinator, but was coming off a head coaching audition in which he went 1-15 with Miami. Rice was insignificant.

And when you think about it, the Ravens got lucky to an extent. Both Harbaugh and Flacco were their second choices. The Ravens have admitted they wanted to trade for Matt Ryan, but the Falcons didn’t budge, so they had no choice but to take Flacco. And Garrett was the first guy the Ravens pursued to get a job offer, but he, of course, refused. So then, the Ravens chose Harbaugh—also their second choice.

But look now. The Ravens have a franchise quarterback—the first the city has had since the days of Johnny Unitas, when they were the Colts. Rice is certainly emerging and Maurice Jones-Drew comparisons are valid. He ran for 108 yards against Kansas City in the opener, and reminds me of former 49ers RB Roger Craig in that he can hurt you on the ground and on screens. Harbaugh is a young head coach, one of the youngest in the league, and the team doesn’t look prone to inconsistency, as they very much were with Billick.

And Cameron is developing Flacco just like he did Rivers and Brees, and through the first two games of his second season, he has 497 yards, five touchdowns, two interceptions, and more importantly, two wins.

The 2008 offseason was one of rebuilding. Getting a new head coach. A new quarterback. Completely changing the coaching staff. The majority of Ravens fans weren’t in full support of it. Heck, I’m sure some Ravens players were second guessing the “Wizard of Oz.”

But now, nobody—not even the biggest pessimist—can question these four moves. Owner Steve Bisciotti put it best. “As an owner, you want a coach and quarterback you feel can be in your organization for 10 years,” Bisciotti says. “I’m very hopeful and confident that we’ve got that.”

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Baltimore Ravens Secondary a Primary Concern

OK – the Ravens can score points. That much is clear. They can run the ball, pass the ball, protect the passer and look good doing it too. They can also stop to run and rush the passer with the same elite finesse they have for years.

But no team is perfect. Despite a strong 2-0 start, it’s abundantly clear that the Ravens need to improve in their pass coverage.

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers shredded the Ravens secondary for 436 yards in the second game of the year. A week earlier, they gave up 177 yards to the lowly Brodie Croyle in their home opener.

It’s early in the season, but the Ravens cannot hope to remain a contender in the AFC, let alone for the Super Bowl, if they continue to give up big plays down the field. With the likes of Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers on the schedule.

The Ravens maintain their faith in their defensive backs. But that doesn’t mean they don’t think there isn’t room to improve.

“The pass defense stuff is really very correctable. It’s really a matter of sometimes guys in a big game like that trying to do too much—trying to do more than you have to do,” said head coach John Harbaugh. “We played together better back there, trusted the guy next to us a little bit better and stay in position, and we’ll be fine. 

“That was the encouraging part of it. Our guys see that, and it’ll be corrected.”

Rivers is widely considered to be one of the more elite passers in the game, but the Ravens have a reputation to maintain, and having a quarterback put up career numbers against them doesn’t bode well for it.

But as Harbaugh pointed out, the Chargers’ receivers are much larger than the average NFL cornerback or wide receiver.

Nevertheless, Domonique Foxworth and Fabian Washington aren’t as big as the prototypical cornerback should be. But they are as fast. They need to reward the Ravens’ front office and coaching staff’s faith in them as starters.

Both corners acknowledged as such via their twitter accounts after the game. Washington proved last season he could be a starter, and Foxworth has overcome slow starts before. But the rest of the defensive backs need to step up.

Dawan Landry has an interception to his credit this season, but he’ s still adjusting after missing most of last season. Frank Walker is solid if not spectacular, rookie Lardarius Webb is still learning, Chris Carr is more of a return man and as great a player he is, and Ed Reed can only cover so much ground.

Perhaps this group is just missing Samari Rolle, who was put on the Physically Unable to Perform List and cannot return to action until Week 6. Or maybe they’re still adjusting to new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. Regardless, they need to improve and they know it.

And maybe that’s all it will take—knowing they need to get better. And whether it’s a change in scheme or personnel, the Ravens believe they will.

Because if the secondary does tighten up, the Ravens just might be the best team in the AFC.

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2009 Cleveland Browns: Excuse Free

Excuses are like a-holes. Every one has them, and they all stink.

The world of professional sports acts as an excuse-factory, recycling old justifications with a shiny new wrinkle on it. Too many injuries, several horrific calls by the referees, or not enough team chemistry are just some of the routine excuses we hear in sports.

Some are justified, some are not. That’s not the point. The point is what happens when you don’t have an excuse? What happens then?

Malcolm Gladwell (might just be my favorite author … birthday hint-hint, nudge-nudge) wrote that Americans tend to be lazier than other cultures due to self-preservation. In other words, we think it’s better to be lazy than a failure.

Think of a college student getting ready for an exam. She can prepare by studying, reviewing her class-notes, attending a study-session, etc. Or she can not study, not review her notes, and not attend a study-session.

Come test day, if she’s fully-prepared and still fails, then she has no excuses. She tried her best and still failed. But, if she didn’t study, she will fail, but only this time she has an excuse … she didn’t try her best. She has an out, and at the end of the day, Gladwell writes, between those two options most of us will choose the latter.

Hard to argue.

That brings us to the 2009 Cleveland Browns. They are the college student who stayed in all weekend to study for the Monday exam. No parties, no drinking, no girls. Strictly books. They came to the exam thinking they did everything possible to ace the test. Well, the results are in. The Browns are failing … and failing … and failing again. On top of that hard-to-swallow notion, they have no excuses. None.

To completely understand this team, we have to look at last year. Expectations were high – albeit unrealistic – and everything came to a crushing halt midway through the season. Browns fans know the numbers. We know we finished the last six games without scoring a single offensive touchdown. We know we started four different quarterbacks (Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Ken Dorsey, and Bruce Gradkowski) the last month and a half. We know we went 4-12.

Tell us something we don’t know.

2009 was supposed to be different. New coach. New coordinators. New starting quarterback. New brown pants.

Two weeks in, and nothing is different. They’ve scored one touchdown and it was utterly meaningless. They’re still settling for field-goals. They’re still allowing long runs for scores. They’re still committing stupid penalties that stall drives.

Same song … different verse.

There is one huge difference between 2008 and 2009. In 2008, the Browns had excuses.

Blame Romeo Crennel for his inability to get creative on offense in 2008. For his inability to create defensive schemes designed to get pressure on the quarterback. For his poor clock management. For his silly looks on the sidelines.

Blame Phil Savage for his constant need of attention. For his ridiculous long-term signing of Donte Stallworth. For trading away our entire 2008 draft.

Blame injuries. Blame Steve Bartman. Blame anything. There was more than enough to go around last season.

One year later and there is nothing and no one to point our fingers at. Blame can often act as a crutch in times of need. Sure the Browns were awful in 2008, but the thinking was if we got a new coach, a new GM, new coordinators, start Quinn, and have a first round draft pick, we will be better. We have to.

Only that’s the thing. We don’t have to get better. There are no NFL laws that proclaim this. You have to actually GET better. And that’s something – despite all of their changes, personnel or otherwise – the Browns have not done yet. Which actually hurts more than last year’s debacle.

LAST year we had THIS year. THIS year all we have is the REST OF THIS year. It’s a sobering fact, and has most Cleveland fans counting down the days until basketball starts.

Maybe Brady Quinn isn’t an upgrade over Derek Anderson, which really hurts to write. But it may be true.

Quinn was a great college quarterback, the best Notre Dame athlete I’ve gotten the privilege to watch. He had an uncanny ability to lead a team late in games. He took the Irish to two consecutive BCS bowl outings. He came to Cleveland three years ago with a lot of hype, but never really got a chance to start until now. He beat out DA during training camp in a competition that gained all of the off-season attention.

Through two games this season he has looked … bad.

It took me five minutes to pick the correct adjective on the previous sentence. But, as much as I do not want to admit it, he’s been bad.

During the games he looks uncomfortable and unfamiliar. After the games he looks disgruntled and pissed off. Successful quarterbacks never look any of those things at any time of the day.

However, Eric Mangini did the right thing today when he told the media he was sticking with Quinn. He has to. This is Quinn’s season. If they stink, then look for another rookie QB to come to Berea in April of 2010. If they turn things around, then they will be headed in a positive direction for the next couple of years.

Malcolm Gladwell writes in “Tipping Point” about how epidemics spread. He says there are three reasons, and funny enough, they all apply to the Cleveland Browns.

1) The Law Of The Few – a tiny percentage of the people do the majority of the work to build momentum.

Browns – it’s never good when on kick and punt returns you say out loud, “well, here’s our only chance to score a TD.”

2) The Stickiness Factor – stickiness means that a message makes an impact; it’s memorable.

Browns – by not naming a starting QB until an hour before the opening game, Mangini made a message saying, “we’re not going to have a leader in the huddle.” Not good.

3) The Power of Context – human beings are a lot more sensitive to their environment then they seem.

Browns – doesn’t seem to matter if you were good in college or good on another NFL team, you come to Cleveland and you will fail. It’s a breeding ground for losing.

You beat epidemics with two things. Time … and a plan. The Browns have all the time in the world, but do they have a plan? Who knows.

What they don’t have are any excuses.

Until next time, “read it, roll it, hole it.”

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